AUC Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf to dispatch Panel of the Wise to mediate in South Sudan crisis

In a fresh diplomatic push to avert a collapse of South Sudan's fragile peace agreement, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has announced that the AU will deploy a high-level mediation team from the AU's Panel of the Wise to Juba, as tensions continue to rise between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar.

The move follows direct consultations between Mahmoud and President Kiir amid growing concern over renewed violence in Nasir and the broader political instability threatening to unravel the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

In a statement issued from Addis Ababa on Monday, the AUC chief expressed "solidarity with the Government and people of South Sudan," reaffirming the African Union's "unwavering commitment to dialogue, reconciliation, and lasting peace."

The Panel of the Wise, a conflict prevention mechanism comprising respected African elders and statespersons, is expected to engage with all key stakeholders in a bid to "de-escalate tensions and promote dialogue," the statement read.

Mahmoud urged all parties to uphold their obligations under the R-ARCSS, warning that the current escalation risks derailing years of painstaking regional mediation and peacebuilding efforts.

"The AU calls on all parties to uphold all the provisions of R-ARCSS and ensure its full implementation," the communiqué emphasised.

The statement comes amid mounting fears of a relapse into full-blown conflict following recent militia violence in the Upper Nile State and reports of rising friction between the political camps of Kiir and Machar.

A recent attack in Nasir involving the Nuer White Army—allegedly aligned to Machar—saw a South Sudanese army base overrun, stoking tensions across the country.

The AU's intervention adds to mounting pressure from regional blocs such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the East African Community (EAC), as well as the United Nations, all of whom have been calling for urgent de-escalation.

The AU said it "remains actively engaged with regional and international partners to support South Sudan's transition to durable peace and democracy."

This marks one of the first high-profile conflict interventions under Chairperson Mahmoud's tenure, signaling South Sudan's crisis as a continental priority.

The deployment of the Panel of the Wise may also signal the AU's intent to reclaim leadership in peace diplomacy, following recent third-party mediation efforts in other African conflicts.

Other Topics To Read

• South Sudan
• South Sudan
• President Salva Kiir
• African Union
• Juba
• Mahmoud Ali Youssouf
• First Vice President Riek Machar
• AUC Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf to dispatch Panel of the Wise to mediate in South Sudan crisis
• Headlines