Africa-Press – Tanzania. FORMER President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has concluded a high-level two-day mission to Juba, marking what observers describe as a promising start in renewed efforts to stabilise South Sudan’s fragile peace process.
Dr Kikwete, who currently serves as High Representative of the African Union Chairperson to the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, held talks with President Salva Kiir Mayardit and senior government officials to assess progress in implementing the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
Apart from official meetings, Dr Kikwete engaged with a wide spectrum of South Sudanese stakeholders, including leaders from the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IG), opposition groups such as SPLM-IO and members of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA).
He also consulted representatives from civil society, faith-based organisations and academia, in what has been widely praised as an inclusive approach to peacebuilding.
Dr Kikwete further held discussions with key regional and international actors, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), alongside diplomats from the European Union, Canada, Germany and the Troika countries: The United States, United Kingdom and Norway.
Dr Kikwete’s return to South Sudan diplomacy carries historical significance. In 2015, he played a key role in facilitating intra-party dialogue within the SPLM that led to the Arusha Peace Agreement, laying the groundwork for subsequent peace initiatives.
His latest visit follows consultations with regional leaders, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, both guarantors of the peace process.
According to a statement from the presidency in Juba, the government reiterated its commitment to conducting elections within the set timeframe, emphasising the importance of avoiding further delays and responding to citizens’ long-standing desire to vote for the first time since independence in 2011.
Authorities also expressed appreciation for continued African Union support, while urging the international community to allow space for locally driven solutions to take root in addressing the country’s political challenges.
Civil society voices welcomed the envoy’s appointment, with Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO), Mr Edmund Yakani, saying Kikwete’s experience in mediation offers hope for meaningful progress.
“Our people have paid a very expensive price through loss of life and property. We are confident in the envoy’s experience and knowledge of South Sudan’s issues. We hope he will embrace everyone and bring all parties to the table to nurture a pathway to sustainable peace,” Mr Yakani said.
He cautioned, however, that excluding certain groups could undermine the process, warning that “if some parties are isolated, that will mark the beginning of yet another failure.”
In addition, the envoy met Vice-President Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, a prominent figure in the transitional government and widow of independence leader John Garang.
During the meeting at the State House, President Kiir reassured the African Union envoy that the peace deal remains on track, dismissing concerns of its collapse.
He outlined ongoing efforts by the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) to promote inclusive dialogue among both signatories and non-signatories to the agreement, as the country prepares for elections scheduled for December 2026.
The timeline for the polls was reaffirmed in a communiqué issued during the African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee for South Sudan (C5) Plus Summit, held on the margins of the 39th Ordinary AU Summit in Addis Ababa in February 2026.
As South Sudan approaches a critical electoral milestone, Kikwete’s mission signals renewed continental commitment to steering the country toward lasting peace and stability.
