JUBA-South Sudan’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, has reiterated the government’s commitment to an inclusive peace process in the Kenya-led initiative.
Dr. Lomuro made these remarks following an extraordinary meeting of the presidency held on Friday in Juba. The meeting discussed the progress made in the Tumaini Peace Initiative.
Dr. Lomuor urged armed groups to join the Tumaini Initiative to ensure this mechanism can comprehensively address and eliminate all manifestations of conflict in the country.
He stated that the Tumaini Initiative is crucial to the stabilization process of the country, as it aims to align its objectives with the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.
He noted that these talks represent a renewed resolve for peace amidst optimism from the leaders that the discussions might usher in a more stable and united South Sudan.
Lomuro added that the meeting focused on the challenges faced during the previous round of talks, mentioning that the mediators have asked the government negotiating team to return to Nairobi for the final round of discussions scheduled for early next week.
The government and opposition parties signed nine protocols during the first round of talks in May this year, and the two sides are yet to agree on the sticking issues that are delaying the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement.
In December 2023, President Salva Kiir requested President Ruto take over the mediation role from the Community of Sant’Egidio, an Italian peace organization that had been facilitating the talks in Rome.
President Kiir expressed frustration with the stalled progress in Rome, stating that the discussions with opposition groups had failed to yield a lasting solution.
However, the Kenya-led peace talks encountered a setback in July, when some South Sudanese government representatives raised concerns over specific mechanisms proposed in the negotiations.
The Tumaini Initiative includes participation from major holdout groups, including the Real Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, led by Pagan Amum; the South Sudan United Front, led by former SSPDF Chief of Staff Paul Malong Awan; and the South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A), under the leadership of Gen. Stephen Buoy Rolnyang.
The involvement of these groups is critical to achieving a comprehensive peace deal, as they represent significant factions outside the revitalized 2018 peace agreement.
