Wau residents urge action as cost of living continues to climb
Residents of Wau are increasingly struggling to cope with the rising cost of living as prices of basic commodities continue to surge in local markets, raising fresh concerns about the country’s fragile economic situation. Interviews conducted by Standard Zone News reveal that households are finding it difficult to meet daily needs, with many saying their […]
R-ARCSS-Juba dialogue fails to open after incumbent government boycott
The opening of the Phase Two Joint Stakeholders and R-ARCSS Signatory Parties Dialogue was aborted on its first day after the incumbent SPLM-IG government failed to appear, effectively halting the planned discussions. Participants gathered at the venue, including civil society groups, women mediators, and representatives of several signatory parties to the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement. […]
Women mediators shape political dialogue ahead of key Juba peace summit
Twenty-one South Sudanese women mediators are taking a leading role in advancing the country’s peace process, ahead of a high-level political dialogue scheduled from 15–19 December 2025. Their involvement is being recognized as a crucial step toward building an inclusive and just South Sudan. UN Women, in partnership with the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization […]
SSPDF given lead security mandate over Heglig in tripartite agreement
A tripartite agreement has been reached between South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), granting the SSPDF primary security responsibility over the Heglig oilfield region (also known as Panthou). The move comes after recent turmoil over control of the strategic facility amid intensifying conflict in neighbouring Sudan. […]
SPLM-IG, allies endorse 2026 elections without census, constitution
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Government (SPLM-IG) and its allied political parties have endorsed plans to proceed with the December 2026 elections without completing two critical preconditions; the national population census and the permanent constitution-making process. The decision was reached on Wednesday during a high-level meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir Mayardit with leaders of […]
South Sudanese mediators calls for ceasefire ahead of Dec. 15–19 home dialogue
A coalition of national mediators and stakeholders has issued a strong call for a nationwide ceasefire ahead of next week’s long-awaited joint dialogue between stakeholders and the party’s signatory to the 2018 Peace Agreement. The discussions, scheduled for 15–19 December 2025, are expected to bring political actors together for the most significant homegrown peace engagement […]
SSPDF confirms disarming SAF troops entering border after Heglig clash
The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) have confirmed that they disarmed a group of Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) soldiers who crossed the border into Paan Akuach following fierce clashes around the contested Heglig/Panthou oil region. Lieutenant General Johnson Olony, SSPDF Assistant Chief for Mobilization and Disarmament, told reporters that dozens of SAF soldiers fled […]
Activist Yakani condemns assault on lawyer in forced marriage case
A human rights activist has condemned the reported assault of defense lawyer Josephine Ahel (Adhet) Deng inside a Juba police station, describing the incident as a serious breach of child-protection laws and a troubling escalation in a long-running forced marriage case involving a teenage girl. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress […]
After decades of bloodshed, Rwanda and DRC seal Trump-brokered peace deal
In a major diplomatic breakthrough aimed at ending one of Africa’s most persistent and devastating conflicts, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi for the signing of a historic peace agreement between their two nations. The deal, hailed by all three leaders as a […]
Justice for sale: Mothers expose bribery and abuse in Juba cells
At 56, Agnes Awadia carries the memory of her son’s arrest like a wound that refuses to heal. Ben, unarmed and with no gang ties, was swept up during a police crackdown and pushed into the dim cells where freedom often depends less on justice than on payment. It began on a humid July evening […]
