Yakani calls for faith-based summit to address growing fears of renewed conflict

JUBA – South Sudan’s prominent civil society leader Edmund Yakani has urged the country’s faith-based organizations to convene an emergency national conference aimed at revitalizing the country’s stalled peace process and preventing a return to large-scale conflict amid deepening political tensions.

Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), said the country’s faith leaders must play a renewed role in guiding South Sudan’s transitional politics, which he described as being held hostage by deep mistrust between rival political elites.

“The political elites of the country are in serious deficit in trust and confidence for working together as partners for peace,” Yakani said in a statement to Sudans Post. “Soon, they may turn the country into common ground for the proxy war of our neighbors, including our neighbor allies.”

Yakani said CEPO is lobbying for the organization of a third Kagiko Faith-Based Leaders’ Conference to be held in June, ahead of South Sudan’s 15^th independence anniversary on July 9.

The conference, he said, will be convened in partnership with the South Sudan Council of Churches and the South Sudan Islamic Council.

The aim of the summit would be to consolidate a “genuine political transitional process” and provide a moral and spiritual platform for dialogue, as South Sudan nears the end of what has become a prolonged and uncertain political transition.

South Sudan’s transition period was originally established under the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement but has since been extended twice, with national elections now scheduled for late 2026.

The delays have led to growing frustration and fears among citizens and observers that the peace process may be unraveling.

While violence has decreased compared to the height of the civil war, political rivalry, localized conflict, and delays in implementing security arrangements have raised fears of renewed instability.

Analysts warn that unresolved tensions among the signatories to the peace deal could trigger a fresh outbreak of violence, especially if elections are postponed again.

“CEPO is urging the political leaders to rescue the country from breaking into uncontrollable violence that will sustain political instability and deadly violence,” Yakani said.

He called on South Sudan’s religious institutions to “renew their spiritual responsibilities” by engaging directly with political leaders and fostering reconciliation before the window for peaceful transition closes.