By Philip Buda Ladu
After a nearly five-month pause, the Tumaini Initiative—a process aimed at achieving sustainable peace in South Sudan—is set to resume today, December 4, 2024, in Nairobi.
The renewed talks, hosted in the Kenyan capital, will involve the transitional government of national unity and non-signatories to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement. The discussions aim to address the ongoing conflict and pave the way for lasting peace in the nation.
The reconstituted delegation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU), led by Senior Presidential Advisor Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk, arrived in Nairobi on November 28 and 29, 2024.
On Saturday, November 30, the government negotiation team held a consultative meeting with the Kenyan Chief Mediator, retired General Lazaro Sumbeiywo, to discuss the current state of the peace process and outline their perspectives on the way forward.
According to stakeholders, the Chief Mediator informed the RTGoNU delegation about the status of the peace process and emphasized that the needs of the South Sudanese people should be the top priority.
A major point of contention among the parties is the relationship between the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and the Tumaini Consensus.
The government seeks to incorporate the Tumaini Consensus as an annex to the R-ARCSS, while the opposition prefers a standalone agreement.
Stakeholders, including civil society representatives, women, youth, and faith-based leaders, have proposed a hybrid approach that combines elements from both.
The Chief Mediator stressed the importance of prioritizing the needs of the South Sudanese people.
On December 1, 2024, mediation efforts continued with consultative meetings involving the holdout opposition delegation in the morning and stakeholder delegates in the afternoon.
The stakeholders consist of diverse representatives from civil society, women, youth, faith-based leaders (both Christian and Islamic), persons with special needs, diaspora, eminent persons, academia, and the People’s Coalition for Civil Action.
Following engagements, stakeholders expressed their support for the resumption of talks and emphasized the need for substantive participation in the process. They also called for a balanced approach that ensures timely progress without rushing the negotiations.
Consultations continued yesterday, December 3, 2024, between the mediators and the negotiating delegations. Government, opposition, and stakeholder delegations at the Tumaini talks in Nairobi held a joint session facilitated by the mediators ahead of today’s official resumption of negotiations.
In this first joint session since talks stalled in July 2024, mediators briefed the delegates on the agenda and the structure of the discussions.
As the talks commence, the international community and the people of South Sudan eagerly await a breakthrough that will bring peace and stability to the nation.
The success of Tumaini Peace Initiative, however, hinges on the willingness of all parties to engage in constructive dialogue and compromise.
Late last month, President Salva Kiir Mayardit directed the restructured government delegation to achieve breakthroughs on contentious issues with the holdout groups.
Before their travel, President Kiir held discussions with the newly restructured government negotiation team, urging them to engage with non-signatories to the 2018 peace agreement and seek potential breakthroughs that would consolidate efforts toward lasting peace in the country.
The Head of State emphasized that the team’s goal is to return with a comprehensive peace plan that ensures sustainable stability for the nation ahead of the scheduled polls in 2026.
The new chief negotiator, Senior Presidential Advisor Gen. Kuol Manyang Juuk, vowed to bring peace home as he embarked on the journey to engage in talks with the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA).
The Tumaini Initiative, launched in May 2024, is a renewed effort to facilitate dialogue and reconciliation with holdout opposition groups following the stagnation of previous Rome talks led by the Community of Saint Egidio.
This initiative aims to address outstanding issues in the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).