Leaders Urged to Engage in Inclusive Dialogue

By Jenifer James

The Civil society activist and Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, has urged leaders to embrace inclusive political dialogue.

This call comes in the wake of a recent UN Security Council session addressing South Sudan’s political crisis.

In a statement to the media on Tuesday, Yakani highlighted that the UN Council’s message was clear and unified: South Sudan must engage in inclusive political dialogue to break the current political stalemate and support a peaceful transition.

“Our expectations were halfway met by the session,” said Yakani. “Almost every statement from the UN Security Council called for South Sudanese leaders to convene an inclusive political dialogue to resolve their differences.”

Yakani called on President Salva Kiir and political leaders to respond to this international appeal.

He emphasized that civil society and faith-based leaders are prepared to organize such a dialogue, provided the government and relevant parties give their approval.

“With respect and honour, I appeal to the President to allow this dialogue to take place,” he stated. “We need a South Sudanese-led conversation to address the current political impasse and create the necessary conditions for the scheduled 2026 elections.”

He noted that the National Parliament’s recent endorsement of the President’s speech, which promotes dialogue as a national policy, aligns with civil society’s vision for peace and reconciliation.

“Dialogue must be used as a tool to achieve unity, peace, and sustainable solutions,” Yakani said, adding, “Violence will never gain us anything. Peace will.”

Yakani urged all signatories and non-signatories of the peace agreement to join the initiative. “This is our opportunity. It’s better to attempt dialogue than to sit back. Let us act now to prevent the country from sliding back into conflict.”

On Monday, the Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), Ambassador Major General George Aggrey Owinow, called on the United Nations Security Council to support regional initiatives aimed at assisting South Sudan in advancing its peace process.

Owinow emphasized the importance of initiating dialogue among the signatories to the Revitalised Peace Agreement and accelerating the implementation of unresolved issues, particularly the drafting of a permanent constitution and preparations for upcoming elections.

“Support the regional efforts to assist the Parties in commencing dialogue and expediting the implementation of the critical pending tasks towards a permanent constitution-making and the timely conduct of elections,” he stated.