intervention by African Union (AU) leaders to resolve the country’s escalating political crisis, citing rising tensions between rival factions.
A high-level delegation from the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) arrived in Juba on Sunday for a three-day mission, meeting with civil society groups and stakeholders to address political and security challenges.
The visiting delegation is led by Dr. Mohammed Khaled, Algeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and current Chair of the AU Peace and Security Council.
The 2018 deal, signed by President Salva Kiir, opposition leader Riek Machar, and other parties, ended a five-year civil war and established a unity government. However, key tasks—including drafting a constitution, unifying armed forces, and preparing for elections—remain incomplete nearly seven years later.
Tensions flared in March when Machar, the First Vice President, was placed under house arrest.
In a briefing to the visiting AUPSC delegation, Ambassador Berhanu Kebede, Chief of Staff of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), urged the AU and its High-Level Ad Hoc Committee for South Sudan (AU C5) to push for dialogue and de-escalation.
“Given the political nature of the crisis, there is a need for intensified joint and bilateral direct engagement by AUPSC, AU C5, and AU leaders as the guarantors of the peace agreement,” Kebede said.
He emphasized the importance of “continued efforts in facilitating de-escalation and urging a return to the observance of the Permanent Ceasefire,” calling on AU members to rally regional support for a unified approach.
Kebede warned that further delays risk undermining South Sudan’s path to elections, scheduled for December 2026. He stressed the need to fund critical institutions, including the National Constitutional Review Commission and the National Elections Commission, to ensure credible processes.
“The long-suffering people of South Sudan yearn for lasting peace and security,” he said.