Addis Ababa, 28 January 2025–The African Union (AU) High-Level Ad Hoc Committee for South Sudan (C5), chaired by H.E. Mr. Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, and four members of the Committee, namely Algeria, Chad, Nigeria, Rwanda, along with the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs and Peace and Security, paid a solidarity visit to Juba from 15 to 17 January 2025. The objective of the Ministerial visit was to reaffirm AU’s solidarity with the Government and people of South Sudan in support of the implementation of the extended political transition within the framework of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

The C5 ministerial delegation composed of H.E. Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Rwanda; H.E. Mrs. Selma Bakhta Mansouri, Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria; H. E. Ambassador Hassan Mahamat Ali, representing the Republic of Chad; Ambassador Aminu Nasir, representing the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and H. E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security.

During the visit, the Ministerial Committee engaged with the Presidency, First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, other Cabinet Ministers of the Government of South Sudan, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, representatives of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), and Head of IGAD Mission in the Republic of South Sudan, as well as the African Diplomatic Corps based in Juba.

During the mission, the delegation exchanged views on the progress and challenges incurred in the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement and urged the authorities to complete pending tasks to pave the way for transparent and credible elections in 2026, bringing the long transition to a conclusion. Additionally, the ministers reaffirmed the Committee's continued commitment to supporting the ongoing national dialogue, healing, reconciliation, and peacebuilding efforts in South Sudan.

During its engagements, the Ministerial Ad-Hoc High-Level Committee:

1. TOOK NOTE of progress made in the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement, the remaining transitional tasks to be implemented, the challenges and required support; and COMMENDED H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar, and the South Sudanese Parties for upholding the permanent ceasefire for the past six years; and ENCOURAGE regular engagements within the South Sudanese Presidency to build trust and confidence for a successful implementation in the peace agreement.

2. ENCOURAGE the South Sudanese parties to make effective use of the extended transitional period agreed upon by the Parties to address outstanding issues in the R-ARCSS, particularly the unification of forces, in order to create the conducive security environment for an inclusive and transparent democratic process, ultimately leading to the conclusion of the prolonged transition in February 2027.

3. ACKNOWLEDGE the pressing need to provide the required support to the authorities to facilitate the effective implementation of the agreement.  In this regard, the Committee CALLS on Member States, particularly the C5 in consultation with South Sudan to deploy experts on Disarmament Demobilisation and Reintegration and Security Sector Reform, constitution making, census and electoral processes, and provide the resources to support the process.

4. COMMEND the international community, including the United Nations, IGAD, RJMEC and partners, for their continued support to the Government realise its development agenda and enhance stability; and APPEAL to the international community to provide the necessary support to the transitional mechanisms to facilitate the full implementation of the R-ARCSS to enable the authorities to organise credible elections in December 2026.

5. RECOGNISE that South Sudanese remained convinced that a peaceful, fair, credible and inclusive elections is the viable path to end the political transition, paving the way for lasting peace, development and prosperity.

6. WELCOME the ongoing Tumaini Peace Initiative between representatives of South Sudan’s Transitional Government of National Unity and hold-out groups that did not sign the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan in 2018, facilitated by President William Ruto of Kenya; and STRESS that the Tumaini Peace Initiative is meant to complement the Revitalised Agreement by promoting greater inclusion in the implementation process.

7. TOOK NOTE of the growing consensus among South Sudanese parties calling for the lifting of the arms embargo to enable the authorities to acquire the required logistics to facilitate the unification and deployment of the Necessary United Forces (NUF) to maintain law and order and protect the territorial integrity of the country.

8. INFORM that a meeting of the African Union Ad Hoc High-Level Committee for South Sudan (C5) at the level of Heads of State and Government will be held on the margins of the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State and Government in February 2025 in Addis Ababa to discuss support towards assisting South Sudan find lasting peace and stability.

9. COMMEND the Government and People of South Sudan for extending hospitality to Sudanese refugees and South Sudanese returnees fleeing the conflict in Sudan and URGE international donor partners to provide essential funding and support to relief agencies, enabling them to effectively address the severe humanitarian crisis currently facing the country.

10. In this regard, CALL ON the RTGoNU to establish the Special Reconstruction Fund to support humanitarian agencies and implementation of R-ARCSS activities. REQUEST the AU, IGAD, and UN, including donor partners, to organise a pledging conference for the post-conflict reconstruction and development of South Sudan. 

11. PROPOSE that an AU Special Representative for South Sudan at the level of former Head of State or Prime Minister be appointed to oversee the implementation of the peace agreement and transition to democratic governance in South Sudan.

COMMENTS