Regional bodies urge immediate action to de-escalate tensions in South Sudan

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit during an IGAD meeting in Uganda on January 18, 2024. Rising tensions and renewed clashes have escalated in South Sudan. (Photo: File/REUTERS/Abubaker Lubowa)

As rising tensions and renewed clashes in South Sudan escalate, regional and international bodies have called for urgent measures to restore stability in Upper Nile, Western Equatoria, and Western Bahr el Ghazal states.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the African Union Mission in South Sudan (AUMISS), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation, warning that continued hostilities could jeopardise the fragile peace process.

The statement highlighted Upper Nile State as a particular flashpoint, with tensions escalating over recent weeks.

The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) reported that the situation has significantly worsened, particularly in Nasir, where ongoing troop rotations have raised fears of widespread violence.

"We call upon the parties to urgently work together through the established mechanisms of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) to de-escalate the situation and restore calm in Upper Nile," read the statement.

Ongoing clashes

The statement also pointed to ongoing clashes involving forces aligned with the signatory parties to the R-ARCSS in Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal.

These developments, the organisations warned, threaten to unravel the permanent ceasefire, which remains the backbone of the peace process.

"If left unaddressed, these incidents could potentially undermine the permanent ceasefire, which remains the cornerstone of the Revitalised Peace Agreement," the statement cautioned.

The joint communiqué urged South Sudan's Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) and the Joint Defence Board (JDB) to swiftly resolve the security concerns in all three affected states.

Furthermore, the four organisations called for the full and rapid unification and deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces, arguing that such a move is critical for boosting public trust in the government's commitment to long-term peace and stability.

Extended transitional period

"At this critical time, as South Sudan commences the fourth extension of its ongoing transitional period, it is imperative that efforts to unify and deploy the Necessary Unified Forces are expedited," the statement emphasised.

The deteriorating situation comes as South Sudan continues its extended transitional period, during which the government is expected to implement key provisions of the Revitalised Peace Agreement.

However, delays in security sector reforms and unification of forces have fuelled uncertainty, with regional and international stakeholders now pressing for tangible action.

The renewed instability could also have wider regional implications, given South Sudan's strategic position within East and Central Africa.

With IGAD and the AU actively engaged in stabilising the country, failure to act decisively could risk broader insecurity spilling across borders.

As South Sudan navigates yet another critical moment in its fragile transition, all eyes are on whether the government will heed the calls for urgent de-escalation — or if the country will slide back into the chaos that has defined much of its post-independence history.

Source: https://eastleighvoice.co.ke/south-sudan/120125/regional-bodies-urge-immediate-action-to-de-escalate-tensions-in-south-sudan