South Sudan foreign minister questions Troika’s support for peace efforts

JUBA – South Sudan’s foreign minister James Pitia Morgan has voiced skepticism regarding the Troika’s consistent commitment to peace in the country, asserting that the international group has not provided unwavering support for peace initiatives.

Addressing reporters at the foreign ministry’s headquarters in Juba on Monday, Morgan underscored the significance of elections in South Sudan, highlighting that the Troika had declined to witness the revitalized peace agreement.

“We are advocating for elections in South Sudan. The elections will not be held in the UK; they will take place here. It is for the people of South Sudan, whose elections belong to them,” Morgan emphasized.

The senior government official argued that while other countries and regions, including Japan and China, actively participated in the peace process, the Troika did not play a supportive role.

“Troika, for your information, I have been part and parcel of all these peace processes in Addis Ababa; Troika refused to witness the revitalized peace agreement,” he stated. “They didn’t witness it. Japan witnessed it, China witnessed it, and other countries and regions witnessed it.”

Challenging the Troika’s role in the peace process, specifically noting the alleged refusal to witness the revitalized peace agreement, Morgan contended that this refusal presented evidence that the Troika has not actively engaged in or supported efforts to achieve peace and stability.

“Take it now that Troika never supported anything of peace in this country. And the time has come for us to call for Troika to support peace in this country. They refused,” he added.

Morgan clarified the diplomatic status of the Troika, noting that while ambassadors from the UK, US, and Norway were accredited to South Sudan, the Troika itself was not.

“Bilaterally,” he remarked on South Sudan’s relations with individual Troika countries. “they are accredited. But Troika, we didn’t accredit anything here called Troika. And I already told them, as a Minister of Foreign Affairs, I will meet them on that basis.”

The Troika has historically played a significant role in diplomatic efforts to address South Sudan’s conflicts, offering support and mediation in peace processes. Their involvement dates back to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005, leading to South Sudan’s independence in 2011.

The group continued engagement post-independence, supporting and mediating peace efforts following the outbreak of war in 2013.

Instrumental in the revitalized peace agreement signed in 2018, aimed at ending the protracted conflict that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, the Troika has facilitated diplomatic dialogues and provided financial assistance to peace initiatives.

Challenges persist in fully implementing the 2018 peace agreement, with the transitional period extended until February 2024, highlighting ongoing struggles to achieve sustainable peace in South Sudan.