President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for “urgent and unified action” to move South Sudan towards a path of peace and stability.
The President delivered opening remarks at the meeting of the African Union (AU) Ad-hoc High Level Committee for South Sudan (C5) Plus Summit.
The meeting was convened on the sidelines of the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of States and Government in Addis Ababa.
“The choices made in the coming months will determine whether South Sudan moves towards durable peace or back into cycles of instability.
“Let us act with urgency, courage and unity. Let us use this summit to foster a process that delivers inclusive dialogue, free, fair and credible elections and sustainable peace for the people of South Sudan,” President Ramaphosa urged.
The meeting is a joint effort between the United Nations, the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and the East African Community and marks the first time the committee has met at the level of Heads of State since 2018.
“This was the same year that the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan [R-ARCSS] was signed.
“Eight years later, implementation of the Revitalised Agreement remains slow. As guarantors of the Revitalised Agreement and as sister countries, we are here to support the peace process in South Sudan, the youngest member of our Union.
“We felt it was vital that we expand the meeting to include member states from IGAD and the IGAD Secretariat, considering that they are the primary regional mediator of the Revitalised Agreement. Furthermore, the C5 was established to enhance the mediation efforts of IGAD,” he said.
Road to peace
The year ahead is a pivotal one for the East African country, with elections expected to take place in December.
“We welcome the government of South Sudan’s stated intention to hold elections and to convene a national dialogue to resolve outstanding issues before elections are held,” President Ramaphosa noted.
President Ramaphosa outlined the pathway pivotal for peace, emphasising that the environment must be right before South Sudanese citizens head to the polls in December.
“The people of South Sudan yearn to live in a peaceful and prosperous country, and elections alone will not guarantee lasting peace. Firstly, a conducive political and security environment is vital. Violence and conflict at any stage will undermine confidence and derail the process.
“Secondly, the political processes, such as the national dialogue and legal processes, must be genuinely inclusive.
“They must bring together all signatories and stakeholders to the Revitalisation Agreement so that decisions reflect broad ownership, credibility and legitimacy,” the President said.
Furthermore, the summit is called on to send a “clear, unified message that calls on all stakeholders to enter into dialogue without delay”.
“We wish to encourage measures that will build unity, including all options to facilitate reconciliation. The C5 supports the proposal that the Chairperson of the AU Commission should appoint a former Head of State to mediate amongst the signatory parties to the Revitalisation Agreement, and to facilitate dialogue between President Kiir and Dr Riek Machar.
“We stand ready to support mediation, to monitor implementation and to coordinate our efforts.
“A focused, oversight mechanism involving the C5 and IGAD would help track progress and report back to the Heads of State,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
