By: Bright Ntuli
Cyril Ramaphosa says the choices made in the coming months will determine whether South Sudan moves toward durable peace or slides back into cycles of instability.
Ramaphosa was addressing the African Union Ad-hoc High-Level Committee for South Sudan (C5 Plus) Summit in Addis Ababa on Sunday. The meeting brought together regional leaders to assess progress in implementing South Sudan’s peace agreements and preparations for the country’s long-delayed general elections.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation since gaining independence in 2011, is scheduled to go to the polls in December. The elections are widely seen as a critical test of the fragile peace deal signed in 2018, which ended a five-year civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
Ramaphosa emphasised that the African Union remains unified in its efforts to support South Sudan’s transition toward peace, stability and democratic governance. He said the continental body, working alongside regional and international partners, is committed to ensuring credible, inclusive and peaceful elections.
The summit comes amid ongoing concerns about delays in implementing key provisions of the peace agreement, including security sector reforms, the drafting of a permanent constitution and the full unification of armed forces. Observers say progress on these fronts will be crucial to preventing renewed conflict.
Ramaphosa called on South Sudanese leaders to place the interests of their citizens first, stressing that lasting peace depends on political will, cooperation and adherence to agreed timelines.
“The path chosen now,” he said, “will shape the future of South Sudan for generations to come.”
