Renewed hope as South Sudan peace talks commence in Kenya
May 11, 2024 (NAIROBI) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto on Thursday graced the official launch of the mediation process between the Juba government and its hold-out groups in Nairobi, Kenya.
Chaired by the Kenyan mediator, Major-Gen (rtd) Lazarus Sumbeiywo, the talks are between President Kiir’s government and rebel opposition groups that were not part of the September 2018 peace agreement that ended a five-year civil war.
The high-level mediation process is dubbed “Tumaini”, [meaning hope in Swahili].
Speaking at the high-level mediation initiative, Kiir reiterated his government’s commitment to sincere and open negotiations for sustainable peace to prevail.
“We hope that the opposition groups have a similar conviction and desire for peace in South Sudan, which, when fully achieved, will bring everlasting stability and economic development in the region, not just South Sudan,” said President Kiir.
The South Sudanese leader appreciated Pope Francis and the Sant’ Egidio community for their steadfast backing of the Rome peace initiative, while emphasizing the robust groundwork upon which it was built.
He urged the hold-out groups to commit to end political instability in the country.
The Kenyan President explained that “Tumaini”, meaning hope, is grounded in the foundation that was laid in the peace agreement that ended the country’s civil war.
“It is fuelled by courage, goodwill, and determination to silence the guns and explore better ways of resolving conflicts,” stressed Ruto.
He added, “I encourage the Transitional Government of National Unity, the Real SPLM and the South Sudan United Front to stay the course and redouble their commitment to this mediation.”
Sumbeiywo said he is optimistic the talks would resolve the outstanding issues, while thanking regional and international partner for backing the peace process.
The former Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) secretary-general Pagan Amum, now the leader of the Real SPLM, said the high-level initiative should go to the root cause of the current problem and resolve the matter once and for all.
“Engaging in a national dialogue and building national consensus and agreeing to a new social contract is what is required,” explained Amum.
“But, for us to achieve this I believe and with this initiative, Tumaini, we need to leave this mindset of conflict. We need to stop seeing each other as enemies. We are brothers and sisters,” he added.
Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera, Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema, Namibia’s Nangolo Mbumba, and the Central African Republic’s (CAR) Faustin-Archange Touadera also attended the high-level meeting that took place in Nairobi, Kenya.
President Hichilema urged the two parties to be accommodating and engage in genuine negotiations with a spirit of give-and-take, adding, “In today’s world, no one really wins the war; you may win a battle, but the war continues,” he noted.
(ST)