President William Ruto has called for a strong commitment from all parties in the South Sudan peace process to achieve lasting and sustainable peace.
Speaking on Thursday during the launch of high-level meditation for South Sudan at State House, Nairobi, the President said the mediation process is keen on ending conflict and political instability in South Sudan.
He said the Tumaini Initiative, a high-level mediation for South Sudan, has brought together eight categories of parties and groups, ensuring the process is inclusive and home-grown.
“This initiative exemplifies the Pan-African policy of African solutions to African challenges, contributing to the ‘Silencing the Guns in Africa initiative’ and fostering an environment for transformational development in South Sudan, our region, and the entire African continent,” said Ruto.
The meeting was attended by Presidents Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan), Lazarus Chakwera (Malawi), Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia), Nangolo Mbumba (Namibia), and Faustin-Archange Touadera (Central African Republic), and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, among others.
Ruto lauded the progress made by the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity, the Real-SPLM, and the South Sudan United Front in the mediation process.
“The path you have chosen is noble, and what you have accomplished so far under this initiative is admirable. Here is your opportunity to design a future worthy of your vision,” he said.
President Salva Kiir thanked President Ruto for accepting the role of resolving the South Sudan process. He mentioned that he was hopeful that the mediation would yield positive results ahead of the country’s general elections later this year.
“We hope that the opposition groups have a similar conviction and desire for peace in South Sudan, which, when fully achieved, will bring everlasting stability and economic development in the region, not just South Sudan,” he said.
President Hichilema encouraged the participants in the peace process to be accommodating and engage in genuine negotiations with a spirit of give and take.
“In today’s world, no one really wins the war; you may win a battle, but the war continues,” he noted.
Lazarus Sumbeiywo, the chief mediator in the South Sudan peace process on his part lauded regional and international partners for supporting the peace process.
