By Yiep Joseph
As the 2018 peace agreement faces new challenges, the African Union (AU) remains optimistic that a face-to-face meeting between Riek Machar Teny and President Salva Kiir will help resolve their differences.
This development follows a meeting between the Vice President for the Service Cluster, Josephine Joseph Lagu, and Joram Biswaro, the AU Head of Liaison Office in South Sudan.
In his remarks, Joram Biswaro urged South Sudanese citizens to support their leaders.
“We need to uphold dialogue and this dialogue would involve the leaders, President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Machar have to meet and dialogue and deescalate the situation,” he said.
He called on all parties to encourage the two leaders to meet and address their misunderstandings to restore peace.
“All the parties and public should rally behind these leaders to de-escalate the violence i wish the public could listen to the two leaders and cease violence in order for peace to prevail,” he added.
Meanwhile, Christopher Surur, the Acting Press Secretary for the Vice President, stated that VP Lagu assured the AU of the coalition government’s commitment to maintaining peace in the country.
The discussion focused on strengthening political dialogue as a means of addressing the deteriorating political environment.
Biswaro reaffirmed the AU’s commitment to supporting South Sudan’s efforts toward peace and stability.
In a separate statement, First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar called for international intervention as the 2018 peace agreement encounters significant challenges.
In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Machar highlighted the urgent need for intervention due to the worsening security situation in South Sudan.
“The Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) is facing serious challenges. There is a fear based on our past experience that these challenges, including the intervention from Uganda, may lead to the collapse of the agreement. We therefore urge the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), IGAD, and the UN Security Council (UNSC) to intervene,” the letter stated.
He raised concerns about the legitimacy of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), which have already been deployed in South Sudan, arguing that their presence violates the peace agreement as well as UN Security Council resolutions.
“The Ugandan military entered South Sudan fully equipped, including armored and air force units, in violation of UN Security Council resolution 2428, which imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan,” the letter continued.
Dr. Machar reiterated his commitment to addressing the challenges facing the 2018 peace agreement.
“The SPLM-IO also reaffirms its commitment to peace and to resolving all challenges hindering the country, including those related to the R-ARCSS,” he said in his correspondence.
The current challenges to the 2018 peace agreement include confrontations between armed factions and a lack of consultation among the parties involved.