KIKWETE STEPS IN: AU ENVOY OFF TO A PROMISING START IN SOUTH SUDAN PEACE EFFORT

Former Tanzanian President Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, now serving as High Representative of the African Union Chairperson to the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, on Friday met with President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan in Juba as he wrapped up a high-level two-day mission to the country engaging key national, regional and international actors in efforts to restabilize the country. He also met with other key Ministers to assess progress and challenges in implementing the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) signed in 2018.

Special Reporter, JUBA, South Sudan

In a significant diplomatic push to revive momentum in South Sudan’s fragile peace process, former Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has wrapped up a high-level two-day mission to Juba, engaging key national, regional and international actors in efforts to restabilize the country.

Kikwete, now serving as High Representative of the African Union Chairperson to the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, met with President Salva Kiir Mayardit and other key Ministers to assess progress and challenges in implementing the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) signed in 2018.

At the State House, President Kiir reassured the envoy that the peace agreement remains on track, dismissing claims of its collapse. He outlined ongoing efforts by the Revitalised Government of the National Unity (RTGoNU) to encourage and advance inclusive dialogue among various parties, both signatories and non-signatories to the R-ARCSS in order to reach consensus on critical issues leading up to the elections scheduled for December 2026, as declared in the communique by the African union High Level Ad Hoc Committee for South Sudan (C5) Plus Summit held in the margins of the 39^th Ordinary AU Summit Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in February 2026.

The government also used the occasion to express gratitude for continued African Union support while calling on the international community to allow space for homegrown solutions to take root.

In a statement issued by the State House in Juba following the meeting betwee President Kiir and the experienced Envoy, a key takeaway highlighted was the commitment by the Govermnent to proceed with the election process so that to not only avoid yet another extension to the December deadline, but also to heed the desire by the Sudanese people to finally go to the ballot for the first time since the country attained its independence in 2011.

Going beyond the government corridors, Kikwete’s visit also provided a valuable platform to voices from across the South Sudanese political spectrum. He held consultations with leaders of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM - IG), opposition parties including representatives of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - in Opposition (SPLM - IO), and the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) - which is an umbrella for various smaller political parties in the country. He also met with members from the civil society, faith-based organizations, and the academia - underscoring the inclusive approach employed by the envoy and which is commended by many as what was missing to ensure all voices are heard and no one is left behind in the process of rebuilding the conflict ridden youngest country in the continent.

In a voice note recorded and widely circulated by Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), the South Sudanese civil society activist and human rights advocate applauded the appointment of Former President Kikwete to the role as the envoy and urged him to work with all parties to ensure inclusive political dialogue, including bringing on board those with contentious positions who are inside and outside of South Sudan.

“Our people have paid a very expensive price through loss of life and property. We are confident of the Envoy through his experience in mediation and his knowledge of the South Sudanese issues. We hope that he will take up this responsibility wholeheartedly, embrace everyone and bring everyone to the table so that to nurture a pathway to transition and to sustainable peace” he said. He added that “ if some people and some parties are isolated, that will mark the beginning of yet another failure of the implementation of the resolution of the AU C5 Summit to empower the South Sudanese people to resolve their differences amicably”

Underscoring the desire of the international community and regional bodies to see peace and stability in South Sudan, the envoy also met with key international and regional stakeholders, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), as well as Ambassadors from of the European Union, Canada, Germany and the Troika countries of the United States of America, United Kingdom and Norway.

The envoy also met with Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior Garang, a prominent leader in the transitional government and a symbol of national unity who is a widow of Dr. John Garang De Mabior, the founder of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and considered as Father of the South Sudanese Nation.

Kikwete’s return to the South Sudan peace file carries historical weight. In 2015, he played a pivotal role in brokering intra-party dialogue among various faction in the SPLM Party that led to the Arusha Peace Agreement - a foundation for subsequent peace efforts. His visit to Juba is preceded by visits to the President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who are key guarantors to the peace process.

As South Sudan edges toward a critical electoral milestone, Kikwete’s mission signals renewed continental commitment to steering the young nation away from instability and toward a more durable peace.