JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN – The Embassies of the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the European Union Delegation have jointly expressed deep concern over the resurgence of politically fueled violence in South Sudan, repeated violations of the fragile ceasefire and what they call an alarming lack of action by the transitional government to uphold the 2018 peace agreement.
The diplomatic group’s strongly worded joint statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Juba, slams the country’s top leadership including President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar for failing to show any visible commitment to peace while the nation staggers dangerously close to slipping back into all-out conflict.
“The time for excuses is over,” the statement declares, urging the immediate release of political detainees to start direct dialogue among all political factions.
The group criticized the indefinite postponement of the 40th session of the Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), insisting that it be rescheduled without delay and used to confront the real threats endangering the peace roadmap.
The joint diplomatic intervention comes amid rising tensions and reports of armed clashes across Unity and Upper Nile states.
With the 2018 Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) increasingly being violated, foreign powers that have invested in South Sudan’s peace process are clearly running out of patience.
South Sudan’s transitional government established in 2020 after a brutal six-year civil war, has made limited progress on unifying the armed forces drafting a new constitution, or preparing for national elections scheduled for December 2024 now likely to be delayed again.
Analysts say the government is held hostage by internal rivalries, corruption and a refusal by the Kiir-Machar alliance to put national interest above personal power struggles.
“Political elites are gambling with the country’s future, while hunger, displacement, and insecurity consume entire communities,” said Nyachangkuoth Tai, a civil society activist from Bentiu.
The joint diplomatic mission issued a stern warning; No more unilateral actions that jeopardize the peace accord will be tolerated.
The international community also emphasized the urgent need for transparency, accountability and genuine efforts toward inclusive governance.
“It’s time for South Sudanese leaders to prove that peace not power is their true priority,” the joint statement concluded.
While the embassies stopped short of threatening sanctions or aid withdrawal, experts say this may signal a tougher international stance moving forward. Civil society organizations are calling for more robust international mediation including potential UN Security Council involvement if South Sudan’s leaders fail to act.
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