The Kenya-led peace negotiation between the South Sudan government and holdout opposition groups will resume on November 11 and parties may sign an agreement in two weeks, the Chief Mediator announced.
Lt. Gen. Lazarus Sumeiywo (Rtd), Head of High-level Mediation for South Sudan, made the statement after President William Ruto jetted to Juba and held discussions with President Salva Kiir on resumption of the stalled peace talks, on November 6.
Kiir and Ruto commended the parties for drafting and initializing nine protocols so far and directed the Tumaini Initiative mediation team to reconvene and resolve the outstanding issues within two weeks.
The Heads of State urged the Inter-governmental Authority on Development, IGAD to mobilize resources and goodwill of the international community including the TROIKA and other countries to enable full implementation of the initiative.
“Following the resolution on the way forward for the Tumaini Initiative, the High-level Mediation for South Sudan would like to inform the stakeholders that the talks will resume on 11th November 2024, with a view of concluding within two weeks,” Sumbeiywo announced.
The unity government and South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) and other stakeholders, kicked off negotiations in May 2024 to bring about lasting peace incorporating all the holdout groups that have not signed the 2018 peace deal.
But the process, known as the Tumaini Initiative, stalled since mid-June after the SPLM-IO withdrew, citing some protocols and proposed institutions that are allegedly parallel or replacing some of those under the R-ARCSS.
The main peace partner also said the Nairobi peace process undermined the sovereignty of South Sudan by establishing five institutions with the head and deputies to be appointed by the regional body, IGAD.
After the transitional government failed to hold elections and extended its tenure by two years, civil society organizations and diplomatic missions have been pressuring President Kiir to resume the Kenya-mediated peace talks and form an inclusive government that will transition the country to lasting peace.
The international community including Troika countries have voiced their support to the Tumaini Initiative, adding that the Nairobi peace talks should continue and absorb non-signatories to the revitalized peace agreement.
In his remarks in Juba on September 18, US Ambassador to South Sudan encouraged continuity of dialogue and state that political leaders should take advantage of the Tumaini Initiative to advance inclusive peace.
