On International Peace Day, Church Leaders in South Sudan Want Peace Agreement Implemented

“The South Sudanese currency continues to lose value at an alarming rate making it hard for the ordinary South Sudanese to barely afford basic needs in the markets,” lament the SSCC representatives.

They call on politicians in the nine-year-old nation “especially the signatories to the Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), to recommit and speed up the implementations of the provisions in the agreement.” 

To the non-signatories of the R-ARCSS, the representatives of SSCC urge recommitment to the Rome Declaration, which was mediated by members of the Sant'Egidio Community in January 2020. 

They say, “The full implementation of the peace agreement especially Chapter Four (4) will provide a conducive environment for businesses and investments in the country, hence contributing to the recovering of the economy, which will benefit the ordinary South Sudanese.” 

“The full implementation of R-ARCSS will reduce both the political and inter-communal revenge violence and conflicts in the country,” they further say, adding that the implementation will “reduce the violence perpetrated against women and children in the country.”

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In their statement, the Church leaders also acknowledge the formation of Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU), the agreement on the number of States, the appointment of State Governors and the steps towards the training, unification and deployment of the National army as positive steps taken in the implementation of R-ARCSS. 

Established by the UN General Assembly in 1981, the the International Day of Peace seeks to commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace with and among all nations and people. 

The 2020 celebration is being marked under the theme, “Shaping Peace Together.”

In a separate statement shared with ACI Africa, members of various Christian organizations under the Ecumenical Network on South Sudan (ENSS) reiterate the message of the representatives of SSCC.

Signed by 24 member organizations and dated September 21, ENSS members say, “For peace to take place in South Sudan, the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) should be a key priority for all parties to the conflict and any other competing interests should be put aside.” 

“We recognize the need to strengthen the efforts to bring on board the parties that are non-signatories to the R-ARCSS as this continues to present challenges to realizing peace across the country,” say the ENSS members that include SSCC, Trocaire, CAFOD, and the German Catholic Bishops' Organization for Development Cooperation, Misereor among others.

The ENSS members appreciate the role of the SSCC in supporting transformational changes through the Action Plan for Peace (APP) and their provision of psycho-social support to victims of violence.