At Plenary, Apostolic Nuncio in South Sudan Urges Realization of Late Pope Francis’ Wish for “true, durable peace”

Juba, 09 July, 2025 / 11:48 PM

Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan, the first-ever resident Apostolic Nuncio in South Sudan, has recalled the late Pope Francis’ visit to the country in 2023, and called for the realization of “true and durable peace” that the late Pontiff desired.

The representative of the Holy Father in the East African nation since his appointment in May 2024 said that Pope Francis left a rich legacy for South Sudan, and challenged citizens of the world’s newest country “to draw upon it.”

Speaking on the first full day of the July 7 -11 Juba Ecclesiastical Province Annual Plenary Assembly that brings together Catholic Bishops in South Sudan, Archbishop Horgan said that the late Pope Francis’ “intense interest and concern for South Sudan and its people” that was specifically demonstrated in his personal visit to the country remains “etched indelibly in the history of this young nation.”

“It is touching to hear the many tributes to the deceased Pontiff, but if we wish to honour Pope Francis in this moment and going forward, we must try to make concrete in the daily life of South Sudan his ardent wish to see a true and durable peace,” he said on Tuesday, July 8.

Credit: Catholic Radio Network (CRN)/Ginaba Lino Michael/Juba

The Irish-born Vatican Diplomat, who, at his Episcopal Consecration, was assigned the Titular See of Árd Sratha, emphasized that the people of South Sudan must “see dialogue as the condition for the peace”, something the late Pope Francis consistently advocated for, he recalled.

South Sudanese must “see the silencing of the weapons of war as the fruit of that peace,” he said.

Archbishop Horgan went on to decry South Sudan’s protracted violent conflicts, which he said seem to have escalated “in the last few months”.

“In our country, in the last few months, we are all too painfully aware of a certain deterioration that has taken place. Beginning in March with the reemergence of political tensions, the country finds itself once again unsettled by the spectre of conflict. Already, a kind of low-intensity war is taking place,” he lamented.

He further denounced “the continuous bombardments, the attacks and paramilitary mobilizations, the assaults on the roads, and the general growth of insecurity,” which he said is “a concern” that should not be ignored.

“Pope Francis sent messages to the President and the Vice President in March, urging dialogue in the pursuit of peace,” he said, referring to Pope Francis’ post-Angelus message of March 30.

South Sudan has seen renewed conflict between the South Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) and the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF), following the reported arrest of political leaders, including First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny.

Credit: Catholic Radio Network (CRN)/Ginaba Lino Michael/Juba

Since the signing of the September 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in Addis Ababa, peace in South Sudan has been fragile. Despite the agreement, tensions between SSPDF and SPLA-IO have reportedly persisted, fuelled by political rivalries, politics of succession, ethnic divisions, and delays in the full implementation of the peace deal. 

The situation worsened in early 2025, when renewed clashes erupted between the two factions, leading to widespread displacement and casualties.

The reported arrest of the first Vice President, Dr. Machar, which followed the arrest of other leaders in the opposition, escalated tensions, raising fears of a return to large-scale violent conflict in the 14-year-old country that gained independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011.

In his remarks on the opening day of the July 7–11 Plenary Assembly, Archbishop Horgan said he was committed to fostering peace in the country and highlighted some of his recent activities, including conveying the Holy See’s concerns to both the President and the Foreign Minister.

Credit: Catholic Radio Network (CRN)/Ginaba Lino Michael/Juba

“I told the President of Pope Leo’s concern for peace in South Sudan, of his distress at the loss of life, at the injuries caused by weapons, and at the displacement of tens of thousands of people,” the representative of the Holy Father in South Sudan said.

He disclosed his suggestion to South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir to declare “a unilateral ceasefire, which could change entirely the dynamic in the country.”

Pledging to continue to push for peace in the world’s youngest nation, Archbishop Horgan said, “The Church must not tire of repeating this message.”

He went on to laud the President of the Sudan/South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SSCBC), Stephen Ameyu Martin Cardinal Mulla of the country’s Catholic Archdiocese of Juba and his counterparts of other churches for “working to facilitate reconciliation.”

Credit: Catholic Radio Network (CRN)/Ginaba Lino Michael/Juba

Acknowledging with appreciation local church efforts in fostering peace and looking forward to the Catholic Bishops’ statement on the state of the nation, he said, “While we avoid taking sides, we certainly can express our dismay at the suffering of the people because of this conflict.”

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“We must continue to call for peace. It may indeed be useful for the Bishops to give voice to such an appeal,” the Apostolic Nuncio in South Sudan said on July 8, adding that continued calls for peace and dialogue “are some, very few, of the developments which have taken place since the last Plenary meetings.”