African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, former Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, has briefed President Salva Kiir Mayardit on the outcome of a series of consultations held with key political and institutional stakeholders in South Sudan.
According to a statement issued by the Office of the President, the briefing took place during a meeting between President Kiir and an African Union high-level delegation at the presidency in Juba on Monday.
The visit forms part of ongoing African Union efforts to support South Sudan’s peace implementation process, democratic transition, and preparations for future elections.
During the meeting, Kikwete presented the findings of engagements conducted with a broad spectrum of actors, including political parties, opposition groups, electoral and constitutional institutions, as well as regional and international partners involved in supporting South Sudan’s peace process.
Among those consulted were officials from the National Elections Commission (NEC), the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC), and the Political Parties Council (PPC).
The AU envoy also held discussions with representatives of the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
The consultations sought to gather perspectives on the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, the status of key transitional tasks, and challenges facing the country as it moves toward completing the political transition.
While details of the discussions were not immediately made public, the engagements are understood to have focused on issues related to constitutional-making, electoral preparedness, political inclusivity, and the broader peace process.
South Sudan remains in a transitional period under the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, which ended years of civil war and established a power-sharing government.
However, several critical provisions of the agreement, including the drafting of a permanent constitution and the completion of electoral preparations, are yet to be fully implemented.
The African Union has consistently called on South Sudan’s leaders and stakeholders to work together to ensure the successful implementation of the peace agreement and create conditions for a peaceful and credible democratic transition.
Kikwete’s mission to Juba comes amid continued efforts by regional and international partners to support dialogue among political actors and encourage progress on outstanding transitional benchmarks.
The meeting with President Kiir provided an opportunity for the AU delegation to relay views collected from various stakeholders and assess the way forward in advancing peace, stability, and governance reforms in the country.
The African Union has remained a key guarantor of South Sudan’s peace process, working alongside IGAD, the United Nations, and other partners to support the implementation of the peace agreement and strengthen institutions responsible for guiding the country toward a sustainable political settlement.
