By staff writer, China Africa News
ADDIS ABABA ,June 25, 2026 — The African Union renewed calls for South Sudan’s leaders to honor their commitments under a fragile peace agreement after receiving an assessment of the country’s political and humanitarian situation from a senior envoy tasked with supporting stability in the Horn of Africa.
The chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, met with H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, the former president of Tanzania and the African Union’s High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, to review ongoing efforts aimed at advancing South Sudan’s peace process amid persistent political and security challenges.
According to the African Union, Mr. Kikwete briefed the commission chairperson on a series of recent consultations with South Sudanese political actors and regional leaders, including South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit. The envoy also held discussions with the presidents of Kenya and Uganda, as well as Ethiopia’s prime minister, as part of broader diplomatic efforts to sustain momentum behind the country’s transition.
The discussions centered on the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, commonly known as the R-ARCSS, the 2018 peace accord that ended years of civil war but whose implementation has faced repeated delays.
During a visit to Juba, South Sudan’s capital, Mr. Kikwete met representatives of the African diplomatic corps, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Nations, the Troika countries and the European Union. He emphasized the need for coordinated international engagement in support of peace and political stability, urging partners to continue working closely with South Sudanese stakeholders.
In his briefing, Mr. Kikwete highlighted progress made in some aspects of the transitional process while acknowledging significant obstacles that remain. Among the issues discussed were security sector reforms, the drafting of a permanent constitution, the expansion of political and civic freedoms and preparations for national elections.
The African Union said the discussions also underscored the close cooperation between the AU, IGAD and the United Nations in supporting inclusive political dialogue and preventing a return to widespread conflict.
Mr. Youssouf praised Mr. Kikwete’s diplomatic efforts and reaffirmed the African Union’s support for South Sudan’s peace process. He called on political leaders and other stakeholders to engage constructively, fulfill their obligations under the peace agreement and support regional and continental initiatives aimed at securing a lasting settlement.
The AU chairperson also recalled conclusions reached during a meeting of the C5 group in February 2026, chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, which reaffirmed the 2018 peace agreement as the central framework for South Sudan’s transition toward constitutional governance and democratic rule.
Both officials stressed that dialogue, compromise and the timely implementation of agreed reforms remain essential if South Sudan is to achieve lasting peace and political stability after years of conflict.
For South Sudan, Africa’s youngest nation, the challenge remains translating diplomatic commitments into tangible progress on the ground a task regional leaders and international partners continue to view as critical for the country’s future and the stability of the wider Horn of Africa
