South Sudan Peace Talks between the Government, and Holdout Groups to Start Soon

South Sudan’s peace talks between the government and the hold-out groups will begin on May 10, 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya new pathways to end six years of stand off without reach a peace agreement between holdout oppositions and the government.

In December 2023, President Salva Kiir requested President William Ruto to take over the mediation lead from the community of Sant’egidio in Rome complaining that the talks had taken long time in Rome’s hands without reaching resolution.

Thomas Cirillo, the leader of the National Salvation Front (NAS), and Emmanuel Ajawin, the chairperson of the National Democratic Movement Patriotic Front (NDM-PF) refused for the peace negotiation to be moved to Nairobi because of security concerns. They had indicated that they don’t trust the talks being presided over by Kenya’s president William Ruto.

Gen. Pagan Amum, the leader of the Real-SPLM (R-SPLM), and Gen. Paul Malong, the leader of the South Sudan United Front (SSUF) had accepted a peace talk can be shifted to Nairobi while Gen. Thomas Cirillo, and Amb. Emmanuel Ajawin had demanded the talks be returned to Rome under the initiators, the Society of Sant Egidio in Rome, to first decide on whether all the parties can trust President William Ruto.

People are hoping that the government and holdout groups will reach peace agreement before the December 2024 elections.