President Cyril Ramaphosa has held a bilateral engagement with the President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, at his official residence in Pretoria, Mahlamba Ndlopfu, on the occasion of a Working Visit to South Africa.
“The Working Visit provides an opportune moment for the two Heads of State to discuss bilateral relations and exchange views on the latest political developments in South Sudan, particularly the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS),” the Presidency said on Thursday.
The R-ARCSS is a legal framework governing South Sudan's transition to peace.
It outlines governance structures, security sector reform, the establishment of unified forces, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR), as well as judicial review and constitution-making processes.
Relations between South Africa and South Sudan were formalised with the signing of an agreement establishing bilateral relations on 24 September 2012, followed by the General Cooperation Agreement (CGA) in 2013.
These fraternal relations are founded on longstanding ties that predate South Sudan’s independence.
The meeting follows recent engagements between the two leaders on the margins of the African Union (AU) Summit held in Addis Ababa in February 2026, where President Ramaphosa also chaired the Ad Hoc High-Level Committee on South Sudan (C5) Plus.
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 (R-ARCSS).
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. - SAnews.gov.za
