South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir | Credit | Courtesy
President Salva Kiir has assured the African Union of his
administration's commitment to implementing the provisions of the Revitalized
Peace Agreement despite tensions following the arrest of Dr. Riek Machar.
Kiir gave the assurance on Wednesday during a meeting with
the visiting African Union Panel of the Wise, who are in the country to assess
the security, political, and humanitarian situation following recent events.
These include the arrest of First Vice President and
opposition leader Dr. Machar, along with several SPLM-IO officials, in
connection to the Nasir conflict in Upper Nile, which has sparked military
clashes in several parts of the country.
This has raised fears of the 2018 peace agreement collapsing, potentially pushing South Sudan back into full-scale civil war if de-escalation and dialogue do not occur.
In a media briefing after meeting president Kiir, former Burundian President and Head of
the AU Panel of the Wise, Domitien Ndayizeye, said the country is in a profound
crisis, politically, security and humanitarian-wise.
However, with the government's commitment to the peace deal,
he reaffirmed the Union’s dedication to fostering dialogue, reconciliation, and
lasting peace.
“They [government] have assured us of their willingness to implement the revitalized agreement. They have confirmed that they are in the process to resolve the question of SPLM-IO and the personality of vice president Riek Machar,” Ndayizeye said.
Despite calls from civil society, women's groups, IGAD, the African Union, and Western allies including the U.S. for restraint, dialogue, and Machar's release, the government says Machar and other detained SPLM IO officials are under investigation and will face trial.
The Panel, on a four-day visit to the country, will meet
various stakeholders to identify points of consensus and address the nation's
current challenges.
The Panel of the Wise is the AU's body responsible for conflict prevention, on-the-ground fact-finding, and presenting policy options.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, plunged into conflict in 2013, just two years after gaining independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011.
The war lasted until 2018, when Kiir and Machar signed the Revitalized Peace Agreement to end the five-year conflict that claimed over 400,000 lives.
