Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola has arrived in Juba, South Sudan, where he is leading a High-Level African Union Ad-hoc Committee of Five (C5) Visit.
According to the department, Lamola is leading the delegation in his capacity as chairperson.
This visit, which takes place today and tomorrow, follows the previous C5 Ministerial Visit to Juba, which occurred exactly one year ago and aimed at assessing the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
The department announced that the visit is a precursor to a Peace and Security Council (PSC) Meeting of the African Union (AU) scheduled for 19 January 2026, which will evaluate the situation in South Sudan.
It also precedes the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government and the proposed C5 Plus Summit, which will convene on the margins of the AU Assembly, which kicked off today and will conclude on Thursday.
“The year 2026 marks a pivotal moment for South Sudan, as the country is earmarked to hold its first-ever elections since gaining independence from Sudan in July 2011.
“The role of the C5 is to oversee the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan,” the department said.
South Sudan is currently led by a Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity, with elections expected to be held in December 2026.
The C5 was established by the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) on 5 December 2014.
Its mandate is to enhance the AU’s support for the mediation efforts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
The committee was officially launched at the 25th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State in Johannesburg on 15 June 2015.
The committee comprises one representative from each of the continent’s five regions, including Algeria, Chad, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa.
The C5, chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa, engages in direct diplomacy with the Government of South Sudan, opposition groups, and stakeholders to promote consensus. – SAnews.gov.za
– SAnews.gov.za
