South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged an immediate end to all violence in South Sudan, following a high-level African Union summit focused on resolving the country’s protracted conflict. Speaking at the conclusion of the AU Ad-hoc High Level Committee for South Sudan (C5) Plus Summit in Addis Ababa on Sunday, Ramaphosa emphasized that the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict remains the foundational legal framework for progress.
The summit, held on the sidelines of the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, resulted in a consensus among regional leaders on a series of critical steps. Foremost among these is a demand for a comprehensive ceasefire and the cessation of all hostilities. The committee also called for the release of political detainees, specifically mentioning Vice President Riek Machar, and stressed the need for an inclusive, meaningful national dialogue that leaves no stakeholder behind.
A central point of contention has been the electoral process. The summit directives insist that South Sudan’s planned elections must proceed as scheduled in December without further postponement. The elections must be free, fair, and inclusive, allowing all eligible citizens to participate. To support this, the committee stated that the South Sudanese government must establish and implement minimum standards to ensure citizens can exercise their democratic right to vote credibly.
Implementation of these measures will be coordinated through the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Secretariat and the C5, with the AU Commission Chair working alongside three IGAD heads of state to provide oversight and support. The summit also highlighted the urgent need for adequate funding to guarantee the credibility of the electoral process.
Ramaphosa underscored that while regional leaders are committed to assisting South Sudan’s transition to peace, the primary responsibility rests with the country’s own leaders. He noted President Salva Kiir’s stated commitment to adhering to a roadmap and welcomed a supportive, non-interfering approach from the international community. “It is up to the leaders of South Sudan to act in good faith and demonstrate a willingness to undertake an inclusive process that fosters national cohesion, solidarity and reconciliation,” Ramaphosa said, adding that this must uphold the rule of law and ensure a transparent electoral process.
The meeting’s outcomes arrive as South Sudan continues to navigate a fragile peace. The AU’s focused engagement, coupled with South Africa’s recent election to the AU Peace and Security Council for a two-year term, signals sustained continental attention on facilitating a stable, democratic transition in the world’s youngest nation. The next steps hinge on the immediate cessation of fighting and the genuine implementation of the agreed political and electoral roadmap.
