South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO) on Thursday urged the government to reinstate the “Silencing the Guns” initiative to promote peace and stability in the country.
The “Silencing the Guns” initiative was adopted by African Union leaders in May 2013, with the aim of achieving an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa.
In December 2020, the African Union extended the deadline to silence the guns across all continents to 2030.
The goal of silencing the guns in Africa this decade is being challenged by climate change, terrorism, coups, and the continent’s history.
Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO, challenged political leaders to live up to their pledge to end violent conflict in the country by 2030.
“We are aware that under the African Union, as we all stand up and confirm and pledge allegiance, in the continent of Africa, we need to silence guns by 2030,” Yakani told Dawn in a statement issued on Thursday.
Yakani urged political stakeholders and decision-makers to take responsibility for silencing the guns by 2030.
“As we speak now, we have five years left to evaluate our commitment towards silencing the guns by 2030.”
An outspoken activist stressed the need for the country to champion the agenda of silencing guns.
“I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to the leadership of South Sudan to stand up as champions of that agenda by silencing guns in South Sudan by 2026, before we reach 2030.”
“My appeal and my call still go back to our leaders: undertake your primary responsibility for making peace happen in South Sudan,” he said.
He stated that it is time for leaders to show commitment by implementing a programme of the continental body aimed at silencing guns by the year 2030.
“As South Sudanese citizens, let us proactively, constructively, and responsibly demand that our leaders offer us peace and stability in our country,” he said.
He stressed the need to embrace the African slogan of ‘African solutions to African problems’ to address internal issues.
“That is a very important standpoint. Before we challenge anyone else, as Africans and as South Sudanese, let’s undertake our primary responsibility of embracing peace and stability.”
