UK, Norway warn S. Sudan peace has ‘reversed,’ demand dialogue
JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) –The United Kingdom and Norway issued a blunt joint warning at the RJMEC meeting on Tuesday, declaring that South Sudan’s limited peace progress has decisively reversed. They demanded urgent dialogue and responsible leadership to halt renewed civil war and stop the transitional government from seeking another extension.
The dire assessment was delivered by British Ambassador David Ashly during the 4th R-JMEC Extraordinary Plenary Meeting on Tuesday, October 7, citing the collapse of the permanent ceasefire, resurgent armed clashes, and the detention of key opposition figures as evidence of the failure.
“It is with deep regret that now, seven months further on, even the limited progress that had been made has been reversed,” Ashly stated. “Instead, we are witnessing repeated and consistent breaches of the peace agreement.”
The joint statement directly addressed the status of detained First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, the main opposition leader, whose position is stipulated in the 2018 deal.
Machar was suspended and detained in March following violence in Nasir County and is now facing proceedings in a special court.
The two nations emphasized that the transitional government’s legitimacy is rooted in the peace deal, cautioning that unilateral dismissals or detentions of political opponents without consulting peace partners “undermines peace and risks further conflict.”
“He and his party are a party to the agreement and cannot be excluded if peace is to be achieved,” Amb. Ashly said, calling for renewed dialogue at the Presidency level that must include Machar.
The ambassadors flatly declared that the permanent nationwide ceasefire has effectively collapsed.
They noted that the two main signatory parties—the government’s SPLM and Machar’s SPLM-IO—“are engaged in regular armed clashes in at least four states and are publicly referring to each other as enemies.”
Ashly urgently appealed for an end to the fighting, warning that the resurgent conflict has already cost thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
He insisted it “must stop now if South Sudan is to avoid renewed civil war.”
The diplomats also issued a separate economic warning, stating that their continued support for key financial oversight committees is dependent on South Sudan demonstrating the transparent and effective use of its own resources.
“Enough is enough,” Ashly concluded. “No one wants more war, no one wants yet another extension of the transition, but to avoid both will require urgent dialogue, compromise and responsible leadership.”
