JUBA, 23 December 2024: The African Union Mission in South Sudan (AUMISS), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) acknowledge the progress made by the Government and Parties to the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in 2024, and wish to emphasize that 2025 is a pivotal year to prioritize remaining tasks necessary for the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement.

We welcome the peace achieved through the sustained ceasefire and encourage immediate completion of the deployment of remaining Necessary Unified Forces as well as broader transitional security arrangements. We commend the initiation of planning, outreach, and foundational work commenced by the technical mechanisms responsible for electoral and constitution-making processes. However, we remain concerned over delays in vital transitional tasks, which led to the decision to extend the transitional period again this past September.

We note the commitment demonstrated by President Salva Kiir Mayardit in seeking the assistance of President William Ruto of Kenya on the stalled mediation with holdout groups, leading to the Tumaini Initiative. We urge that follow-up negotiations yield consensus to bring the holdout groups on board to support the peace process.

As we move into 2025, we are encouraged by the President’s assurance that the latest extension will be the last, and persuaded further by his pledge that the country will not return to war. We urge the Government to seize the opportunity presented by this extended period to address all outstanding benchmarks expeditiously. We encourage the parties to pursue the extension with urgency, consensus, inclusivity and collegiality.

We advocate for expanded civic education and engagement with stakeholders, including political parties, civil society, media, and the broader community of South Sudan on peace implementation challenges. We underscore that it is crucial to establish clarity at the start of the new year to enable realistic planning for elections in December 2026.

Vitally, South Sudan must demonstrate full commitment to completing its critical transitional tasks to retain the trust and support of the global community given its preoccupation with competing emergencies across the world.

We pledge to continue our support to the people of South Sudan as we work towards tangible progress in the peace process in 2025 and credible elections in December 2026. We take this opportunity to wish all South Sudanese a peaceful and happy holiday period.