AUPSC concludes South Sudan field mission
A delegation from the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) concluded a field mission to South Sudan with a meeting with President Salva Kiir.
The PSC discussed the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and the general elections scheduled for December 2026. The elections are intended to mark the end of the country’s transition period.
The group also inquired about South Sudan’s First Vice President Riek Machar. Authorities placed Machar, a longtime rival of President Kiir, under house arrest in March.
Kuol Manyang Juk, the chairperson of the High-Level Ad-Hoc Committee and South Sudan’s National Transition Committee, defended Machar’s detention.
“It is a normal procedure taken when somebody is suspected of a crime because it is connected to the deaths of soldiers in Nasir and fighting in other areas.”
However, members of Machar’s SPLM-IO, Machar’s party, say the detention is politically motivated.
“It is now very clear that the SPLM-IG’s government conspired to involve His Excellency President Kiir in a baseless case,” said senior SPLM-IO official, Juol Nhomngek Daniel.
The PSC said the mission reaffirmed the AU’s continued commitment to supporting South Sudan in achieving lasting peace and completing its political transition. It urges inclusive political high-level dialogue among political leaders for an amicable resolution of the current political situation in the country.
Compiled with input from local media.
