South Sudan&

Behind the diplomatic language lies a tense and rapidly deteriorating political crisis that risks dragging the region back into conflict.

The AU delegation's flight arrived at Juba's airport on Wednesday afternoon with a "Council of the Wise" which included former Burundian President Domitien Ndayizeye and former Kenyan judge Effie Owuor.

Mudavadi also acknowledged that the ongoing crises, including the South Sudan conflict, Al-Shabaab threats, and instability in Marsabit, have delayed the progress of the government’s Shirika Plan.

As questions swirl over the clarity and coordination of Odinga's special envoy role, one thing remains clear—Juba is not amused.

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."

He warned that the Horn of Africa is already in turmoil and cannot withstand another conflict, urging immediate de-escalation.

Now a decade on, Kiir's administration has detained Machar, his longtime rival, threatening once again to ignite conflict in an impoverished country in the middle of an increasingly fragile region.

Reports that Machar – a long-time rival of President Salva Kiir – was arrested on Wednesday prompted international calls for restraint. Kenya sent its former prime minister, Raila Odinga, to defuse tensions.

First Vice President Riek Machar was put under house arrest in the capital Juba on Wednesday, in effect voiding a 2018 peace deal that ended a five-year civil war.

It is understood that Raila is set to travel to South Sudan on Friday to help prevent further conflict in the country.

Machar rejoined the SPLA in 2002, and after a 2005 peace deal that ended civil war and established southern autonomy, he became vice-president of the South, retaining the position after South Sudan's independence in 2011 until his sacking in 2013.

Foreign governments have warned that civil war could break out again in South Sudan following weeks of escalating tensions that originated in fighting between government troops and a militia that has historically been close to Machar's forces.

Dr Machar and his wife, Angelina Teny, were placed under house arrest on Wednesday night, an action that now threatens peace in the fragile nation.

IGAD's Executive Secretary, Workneh Gebeyehu, said such developments undermine the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan.

President William Ruto on Thursday said he had called President Kiir to discuss the situation leading to Machar’s arrest and detention.

Civil society activists, the United Nations, and the United States have called for restraint and the reversal of the action following reports of the arrest.

According to UNICEF, 40,000 cases of cholera were reported from late September to March 18, 2025 making it the worst outbreak the country has faced in 20 years.

In a letter addressed to the U.N., African Union and the IGAD regional bloc, Machar said Uganda's military intervention in South Sudan had violated a 2018 peace deal, which ended a brutal five-year civil war.

This conflict can be traced back to historical tensions between the Nuer and Dinka communities, worsened by the 1991 split of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), a political party.

Amid cabinet reshuffles, arrests of senior officials in Juba, and a resurgence of militia activity in Upper Nile State, the risk of a renewed civil war is rising sharply.

A South Sudanese general was among around 27 soldiers killed on March 7 when a U.N. helicopter trying to evacuate them from Nasir came under attack.

Mayen told reporters that the government has taken all necessary steps to restore order following last week's arrests of several opposition and military officials

The arrest of officials including a deputy military chief and two ministers allied to Machar in the capital Juba last week, coupled with a wave of deadly clashes around a strategic northern town, are widely seen as jeopardising the peace deal.

IGAD’s Executive Secretary Dr Workneh Gebeyehu said the authority’s Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification will be reinforced to ensure compliance with the ceasefire.

Among those shown the door is Ruben Madol Arol, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Kiir replaced him with Wek Mamer Kuol, though no official reason was given for Arol's removal.

Tensions have been growing in recent days in South Sudan after Kiir's government detained two ministers and several senior military officials allied with Machar.

South Sudan first plunged into civil war in December 2013 following a political falling-out within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Army.

The United Nations rights agency said on Saturday that increased violence and political friction in South Sudan threatened the fragile peace process

Earlier this month, security forces loyal to President Salva Kiir arrested two ministers and several senior military officials allied with Riek Machar.

Information Minister Michael Makuei told reporters that "approximately 27" troops were killed.

The violence in Upper Nile State comes at a time when South Sudan is undergoing an extended transitional period, meant to implement key provisions of the Revitalised Peace Agreement.

South Sudan has formally been at peace since the 2018 agreement ended the five-year conflict that killed hundreds of thousands of people, but violence between rival communities flares up frequently.

Several members of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), including an injured general, were killed during the attempt by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to extract them from the area, which was requested by all parties.

President William Ruto, who has been leading South Sudan’s Tumaini Initiative peace process, acknowledged the escalating crisis, revealing that he had spoken to both Kiir and Machar.

IGAD, as the guarantor of the peace agreement, is calling on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and recommit to dialogue as the only way to ensure stability and the protection of civilians.

South Sudan has formally been at peace since the 2018 agreement ended a five-year conflict between Machar and President Salva Kiir that killed hundreds of thousands of people.

With IGAD and the AU actively engaged in stabilising the country, failure to act decisively could risk broader insecurity spilling across borders.

Ruto said he had met with the opposition delegation and, at the request of the South Sudanese government, agreed to temporarily pause the negotiations.

In what is being viewed as a strategic realignment, businessman Benjamin Bol Mel, a prominent figure from Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, was appointed as vice president.

The peace monitoring body confirmed Owinow’s appointment in a statement issued on Sunday, noting that he was nominated by the Government of Kenya and later endorsed by the East African regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

The initial cases were traced to refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan, but the situation has worsened as the disease spread rapidly across the country.

The graphic images, which sparked violent protests and retaliatory killings across the country, have been removed from the social media platforms.

The ban, which could be extended for up to 90 days, is set to take effect at midnight on Thursday.

The discussions include parties that did not sign the 2018 Revitalised Agreement, making them key participants in the ongoing dialogue.

South Sudan's foreign ministry summoned Sudan's ambassador over the alleged killings earlier this week, and President Salva Kiir Mayardit called for calm.

As a result of the attack, MSF has been forced to suspend all movements for outreach activities in Nasir and Ulang Counties.

The peace process, which stalled due to political disagreements, will resume on January 7, 2025.

The peace talks, which began in May 2024, experienced a setback in mid-July over concerns about aligning the process with South Sudan’s 2018 peace agreement.

President Kiir dismissed the country’s army chief, police inspector-general, and central bank governor in a significant reshuffle following recent security concerns in the capital, Juba.

The impasse, now in its twelfth day, stems from unresolved grievances over extortion, arbitrary arrests, and insecurity faced by drivers along the Juba-Nimule Highway.

The incident, described by the national army as a "misunderstanding" between layers of security forces stationed at the home, left two soldiers wounded.

Analysts said the sacking of Akol Koor reflected a power struggle at the highest levels of government.

Ruto also announced plans to engage the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) for broader regional and international support.

Faki reaffirmed the AU's commitment to support South Sudan's government and people throughout the political transition process and beyond. 

Despite the hefty budget, Lomuro reassured that the High-Level Standing Committee would continue engaging institutions to bring the figure down to a more manageable level.

This extension shifts the end of the transitional period from February 2025 to February 2027 and moves the scheduled elections from December 2024 to December 2026.

South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, remains heavily dependent on its northern neighbour to export oil to international markets.

The Presidency highlighted that the remaining months of the current transitional period will focus on mobilising funds to ensure the effective implementation of the revitalised peace agreement.

UN missions there have said South Sudanese authorities are holding up United Nations fuel tankers over a tax dispute, jeopardising the delivery of millions of dollars of aid during a humanitarian crisis.

The proposed vote follows years of delays: An election was due to take place in 2015 but was postponed after the young country descended into civil war.

"The humanitarian crisis in South Sudan has left over 75 per cent of the population in desperate need, with many struggling to feed themselves and their families," Dodds added. 

The commission warned that without timely action on these fronts, the elections could face significant obstacles.

This development came days after the parties to the Kenya-led initiative signed eight protocols encompassing security, ceasefire, communal violence, arms proliferation, land disputes, trust-building, humanitarian access, and the role of guarantors.

The error occurred ahead of South Sudan's opening men's basketball game against Puerto Rico, which the East African nation won in a historic victory.

Organisers inadvertently played the anthem of neighbouring Sudan - but later apologised for the mistake.

The visit follows the recent Nairobi Tumaini Peace Initiative, which Kiir is keen to update Ramaphosa on, especially since the initiative has reset after First Vice President Riek Machar, who leads the main opposition party, pulled out of the talks.

The SPLM-IO's Political Bureau convened in Juba last Tuesday where it unanimously voted to exit the negotiations.

Machar accused the initiative of overstepping its mandate and undermining the East African Community's existing revitalised peace agreement and sovereignty, sending Kenyan mediators back to the drawing board.

The minister received the first consignment of 645,000 vaccines with the help of the World Health Organization (WHO) alongside other stakeholders.

Machar accused the initiative of overstepping its mandate and undermining the East African Community's existing revitalised peace agreement and sovereignty, sending Kenyan mediators back to the drawing board.

The framework lays down some basic principles for the protection, sharing, and management of the Nile Basin.

Recent weeks have seen graphic images of South Sudanese nationals being thrown onto pick-up trucks and placed in congested waiting areas before deportation to states in South Sudan at the Sudanese border.

Kong Wiyual Bill highlighted challenges including the need for a census before elections and the presence of the Ugandan military in Juba.

The decision, announced via state TV on Wednesday night, coincides with worsening inflation and a significant depreciation of the local currency against the US dollar.

"The war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is threatening regional peace and stability," warned Kiir in a statement posted on X by the South Sudan Government. 

The ACHPR says the bill passed on July 3 is punitive and gives the National Security Council more powers which might give room for violation of human rights.

SSOMA said on Monday that it does not want the elections extended or rescheduled and that the peace process - the Tumaini Initiative that is ongoing in Nairobi - should be prioritised.

The country has faced an economic meltdown that experts say could bring not only hardships but also political turmoil to a nation wracked with both.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said he had no faith in Ethiopia backing down from the MoU with Somaliland

South Sudan's Minister of Information Michael Makuei announced that the discussions are almost complete.

Peace monitors convened in Juba on Thursday to discuss the position of the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity and various parties regarding the election process.

The new policy was designed to achieve socio-economic development and ensure sustainable funding for infrastructure projects.

The heavily armed raiders came from Rubkona County of neighbouring Unity State to reclaim cattle stolen by youth from Ruweng Administrative Area.

The Tumaini Initiative, according to Machar, lacks the authority to amend the R-ARCSS, a power held only by the parties signatory to the 2018 accord. 

The change in currency comes as South Sudan faces several economic challenges, including high inflation, a shortage of foreign currency, widespread corruption, and recovery from a deadly civil war.

The MPs urged this action on Tuesday while reacting to reports from the country's Ministry of Finance to the parliament on the looming hunger crisis in the country.

Since the conflict began, one in three South Sudanese has been displaced, with over 4 million forced from their homes.

Riverine flooding is expected in parts of Jonglei, Lake State, Unity, Upper Nile, and Central Equatoria, while dry spells are anticipated in parts of Northern Bahr El Ghazal.

The decision was approved by the Council of Ministers and aims to enhance office protocols and streamline visitor schedules, Minister for the Presidency Joseph Bakosoro said.