“Our priority in 2023 is to pursue a ‘peace for the people’ approach with government support,” Stephen Par Kuol, Minister for Peacebuilding in South Sudan, told the commission via video link.
At the ambassador-level meeting on building community peace through local governance and community reconciliation in South Sudan, he said efforts include addressing persistent challenges such as inter-communal violence, a major legacy of decades of wars.
“Make Peace With Us”
“It’s something we can’t do alone,” he said. “All we need is the support of the regions and the international community to help us bring peace to South Sudan.”
He highlighted progress in judicial, security and constitutional processes since the parties signed the 2018 peace accord. Meanwhile, the governmentwork hard to bring the traditional authorities back together” to ensure that there are no armed groups in the country.
The Commission consulted on the way forward with Chapters I and V of the revitalized conflict settlement agreement in the Republic of South Sudan.
Suggestions included improving local community resilience in the face of existing vulnerabilities — including endemic poverty, weak governance, gender-based and sexual violence, and poor natural resource management — which can exacerbate violence and intercommunal conflict.
list of requests
Civil society speakers also briefed the commission via video link and presented recommendations to strengthen the path to sustainable peace.
Youth representative Adeng Leek, a human rights activist and program manager at the Nonviolent Peace Force, made and pointed out several suggestions to improve the current fragile situation South Sudan is “not a toddler anymore”..
To overcome such major obstacles to peace as the shrinking civil society space, the rise in sexual violence and a massive social divide between politicians and people, she said The government must demonstrate the necessary political will to address concerns and promote accountability.
she said Politicians must respond effectively to communitiesAnd municipalities have to devote oneself provide services required to meet challenges such as climate shocks and create a safe civic space.
If all of this is left unaddressed, she warned, local governments will not have the elements needed to advance peace.
Tools to “make a difference”
Edmund Yakani, a civil society representative and executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), said intercommunal violence has branched into alarming human rights abuses, including slavery and human trafficking.
After brokering dozens of community-to-community peace deals, he said the way forward must strengthen the currently weak peace and reconciliation infrastructure. Create space for civil dialogue and ensure transparent financing of peacebuilding. “Tools like this can make a difference,” he urged.
IDPs in South Sudan’s Upper Nile province.
Fact Finding Mission
Commission Chairman Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, highlighted a new one report during his December visit to South Sudan. Among other findings, he said there is a concrete need for actionincluding in hold elections and reaching the expected 35 percent threshold of participation of women.
Other letterers, speaking via video link, agreed. Deputy Secretary General for Peacebuilding Elizabeth Speharadded Prioritizing confidence-building efforts is essential to create a conducive environment for peaceful exchange.
Ahmed Yusuf Hersi, senior policy adviser to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)’s special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, highlighted the dire funding situation and said the current ceasefire has enabled progress in several ways, but Challenges remain in making the transition to lasting peace.
Empower women, youth
Sara Beysolow NyantiDeputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Resident UN Coordinator in South Sudan, the said The future depends on the empowerment of women and youth. Furthermore, she said, there will be no lasting peace until transitional justice is fully implemented.
