Pope Francis renews his call for peace dialogue in South Sudan Vatica

Pope Francis today called for the resumption of peace talks in South Sudan, after the process was suspended following the arrest of the country's first vice president, Riek Machar, on 27 March.

In his Angelus message for the fourth Sunday of Lent, published by the Holy See Press Office, the Bishop of Rome expressed his concern over the situation in that African country, which was complicated a few weeks ago when members of the White Army, a group loyal to Machar, attacked an army base in Upper Nile State.

“I renew my sincere appeal to all leaders to do everything possible to reduce the tension in the country,” the Pope said, “for which we must put aside our differences and, with courage and responsibility, sit around a table and begin a constructive dialogue.”

“Only in this way will it be possible to alleviate the suffering of the beloved people of South Sudan and to build a future of peace and stability,” the Holy Father added in the document.

Last Wednesday, the Sudan Liberation Army Movement/In Opposition (SLAM/ELO) declared the peace plan dead following the arrest of Machar, its leader, “on unclear charges”, according to Reath Muoch Tang, a member of the political force’s leadership.

Under the peace pact initialled in 2018, Machar, from the minority Nuer ethnic group, was appointed first vice president in a government headed by Salva Kiir, from the majority Dinka ethnic group.

The African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) announced in a communiqué last Saturday an agreement aimed at speeding up the process of finding a diplomatic solution to this new crisis in South Sudan and restoring the peace agreement signed seven years ago.

Since April 2023, a civil war has been raging in this African country bordering South Sudan, following an escalation of power struggles between the army chief, Abdel Fatah al-Burhan, and the leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

More than 24,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far, while more than 14 million Sudanese have been displaced from their homes as a result of the fighting.

“I hope that new negotiations capable of guaranteeing a lasting solution to the crisis will begin as soon as possible,” Pope Francis said, emphasizing that ‘the international community must redouble its efforts to address this terrible humanitarian catastrophe’ in the country.