The European Union has expressed deep concern over the recent escalation of violence in South Sudan and called on national leaders to halt hostilities and return to dialogue to fully implement the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement.
Ambassador Pelle Enarsson, Head of the EU Delegation to South Sudan, made the remarks on Wednesday during a federalism workshop organized by the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC) in Juba.
He stressed that political agreements are essential to stop the fighting while ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of South Sudan’s permanent constitution-making process.
“There is a clear need for more dialogue and for political agreements to stop the violence and come back to the implementation of the peace agreement,” Enarsson said.
He added that despite the country’s security and political challenges, work on the permanent constitution must continue, with mechanisms in place to maintain continuity beyond the current transitional period.
The EU has reaffirmed its support for the constitutional process through a partnership with the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law.
“We are really proud to support this project,” Enarsson said, wishing participants a successful workshop.
The federalism workshop is aimed at informing South Sudan’s constitution-making through public consultations and technical discussions on governance structures.
Dr. Kathrin Scherr, senior legal expert at the Max Planck Foundation, said the three-day session focuses on legislative and executive design in federal systems and the role of local government, building on four previous workshops since 2024 that covered power sharing, fiscal devolution, wealth sharing, and constitutionalism.
Dr. Riang Yier Zuor, Chairperson of the NCRC, said the discussions include comparative case studies, local government structures and functions, and fiscal arrangements.
He expressed hope the engagement would strengthen the commission’s understanding of federal governance and announced plans for an additional workshop on models and management of federal capitals.
Zuor thanked the Max Planck Foundation and the European Union for their continued support.
