Salva Kiir received Pope Francis at Juba International Airport on Friday February 3, 2023. | Credit | PPU
Following the announcement of Pope Francis’ passing on, South Sudanese leaders have been urged to honor his legacy of peace, unity, and reconciliation.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday in Juba after Vatican announcement of the holy father death, Apostolic
Nuncio to South Sudan, Archbishop Seamus Horgan, called on the country’s
leadership to remember the Pope’s tireless efforts for peace in the nation.
“The leaders of this country must take up the legacy that
Pope left,” Horgan urged.
He also recalled the Holy Father’s recent Angelus address on
March 30, where he stressed the urgent need for responsible governance in South
Sudan.
“I am following the situation in South Sudan with concerns,
we must put aside our differences and encourage responsibility. Sit around the
table and engage in constructive dialogues to build the future of peace and
stability,” he quoted the statement.
His Eminence Cardinal Stephen Ameyu echoed the call for
national leadership rooted in moral clarity and unity.
“He championed the cause of the marginalized people,
advocated for justice and reconciliation, and inspired millions with his
message of love and mercy,” Ameyu stated.
In South Sudan, the official memorial prayer for Pope
Francis will take place next Friday at 9 a.m. at St. Teresa Cathedral in Juba.
In March 2025, President Salva Kiir received a written
message from Pope Francis, urging South Sudan’s leaders to pursue peace,
reconciliation, and development.
Back in 2019 in Rome, the Pope, in a rare act of humility,
kissed the feet of Kiir and his longtime rival Dr. Riek Machar, pleading for
peace after the five-year civil war. He later visited South Sudan in 2023 to
reinforce that message.
Despite these efforts, conflict persists. Recent fighting in
Upper Nile between government forces and the White Army, a militia linked to
SPLA-IO, left over 180 dead, 250 injured, and displaced around 125,000 people,
according to the UN.
The violence also led to the arrest of several senior SPLM/A-IO
officials, including First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, further heightening
political tensions.
This 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 take place.