South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Jenifer James
The civil society activist has called on the signatories to the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) to put aside their differences and work collaboratively to move the country from instability and violence toward lasting peace.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Edmund Yakani emphasised that a lack of political trust and honest cooperation among South Sudan’s leaders has significantly delayed the country’s transition.
“Since the outbreak of conflict in 2013, and again in 2016, the political trust and confidence among signatories to the R-ARCSS has been far below expectations,” Yakani said. “This trust deficit is the reason the political transition has dragged on for more than six years.”
Yakani criticised what he described as a continued lack of sincerity among political leaders, driven by historical grievances and personal interests. He warned that without genuine political compromise, the peace process could be derailed for decades.
“As a civil society activist, I am appealing to our political class, our elites, and leaders: a successful transition in South Sudan genuinely requires significant political compromises,” he stressed. “Without these compromises, we fear the transition from violence to peace may take decades. This puts the lives, safety, and livelihoods of citizens in jeopardy, along with the country’s economic growth.”
With South Sudan’s independence anniversary approaching on July 9, Yakani urged leaders to take bold action and renew their commitment to peace.
“As we approach our independence next month, our leaders must undertake effective and meaningful political compromises that allow them to work together to transition the country,” he said.
Yakani also called for the organisation of a “Category Three” political conference involving all key leaders and stakeholders, aimed at rebuilding trust and setting a clear path for peace implementation.
Since the Government and the parties to the peace agreement signed the 2018 peace deals to end the conflict and transition the country from conflict to peace, there continues to be gunfire in some parts of the country.
