IGAD will hold a virtual summit on March 12, 2025, to address the escalating situation in South Sudan. Both President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar, grappling with recent clashes and political arrests, emphasize the need for calm. The summit will focus on ensuring peace and dialogue amid persistent violence following the historic 2018 peace agreement.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is scheduled to convene the 43rd Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government focused on the situation in South Sudan. This virtual summit will take place on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. IGAD emphasized its role as the guarantor of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), reiterating its commitment to fostering dialogue and reducing tensions within the nation.
Recent violent incidents have jeopardized the precarious peace established between President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar. President Kiir has urged citizens to maintain calm and reassured that a return to war would not occur. Escalation occurred when a UN helicopter, tasked with evacuating national army members, was shot at, resulting in multiple casualties, including a crew member.
Tensions intensified following the recent arrest of the deputy chief of the armed forces and two ministers loyal to Machar by security forces, which an opposition spokesperson condemned as a serious breach of the peace agreement. These arrests were amidst hostilities in Upper Nile state between government forces and a militia known as the White Army, historically allied with Machar during the civil conflict.
South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011 from Sudan, experienced a civil war just two years later due to a power struggle between Kiir and Machar, leading to over 400,000 casualties. Although a power-sharing agreement established in 2018 halted the immediate fighting, significant conditions of the agreement remain unfulfilled, such as constitutional reform, elections, and the integration of armed groups into a unified army. Violence continues sporadically among ethnic and local factions in various regions of the country.
The IGAD summit aims to address the critical issues in South Sudan, amidst ongoing violence and political instability. The commitment to dialogue and peace is paramount, particularly following the recent escalations threatening the fragile peace agreement. As the nation grapples with its tumultuous history, fulfilling the terms set out in the peace accord remains essential for sustainable stability.
Original Source: www.kbc.co.ke
