By Yiep Joseph
Diplomats in South Sudan reiterated a call for urgent action to advance peace implementation.
On Thursday, the embassies of IGAD member states as well as major donor countries met in Juba, where they expressed the need to speed up the peace implementation.
Participants in the meeting included ambassadors and representatives from the embassies of Canada, Djibouti, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Kenya, Norway, the Netherlands, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the Delegation of the European Union.
The meeting which was hosted by the Chairman of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) focused on South Sudan peace.
According to the statement extended to the media, the diplomats jointly called for urgent action to advance peace in South Sudan.
“The Embassies of IGAD member states and major donor countries met on March 13, 2025, and agreed on the need for urgent action to advance peace in South Sudan,” the statement read in part.
The ambassadors recognized IGAD’s leadership efforts as well as other efforts aimed at opening up dialogue among the principals and parties.
“They warmly acknowledged IGAD’s leadership, including through the March 12 summit, and reaffirmed the need for open and direct dialogue between the leadership of all the parties to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), including President Kiir and First Vice President Machar, in support of peace,” the statement read.
In a separate statement, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) called on the conflicting parties in South Sudan to cease hostilities with immediate effect.
IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu said during the Heads of State and Government summit that there is a need for all parties to cease hostilities.
“All parties to the conflict must unequivocally and unconditionally cease hostilities and adhere strictly to the permanent ceasefire, with IGAD’s Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) reinforced to ensure compliance.
The Authority called for dialogue with the leadership of South Sudan, citing that it will assist in restoring confidence in all parties, which will culminate in a joint public declaration affirming their commitment to peace.
“In order to stabilize the security and political landscape, the Secretariat advises that the Joint Defence Board be promptly reconvened to address contentious deployments, such as those in Nasir, and oversee the safe withdrawal of forces, in coordination with UNMISS.”
Gebeyehu further called for an independent probe into the Nasir clashes, as well as the recent attack on a United Nations helicopter.
He said this can be carried out by the CTSAMVM to ascertain the facts and ensure accountability for any violations.