Juba Mission Signals Renewed Momentum
South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile spent 48 hours in South Sudan this week, gauging the health of a five-year-old peace accord and offering Pretoria’s backing to its fragile implementation.
His visit comes amid cautious optimism in Juba yet persistent fears that slow reforms could reopen old fault lines.
High-Level Meetings in Juba
A two-day mission by South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile ended in Juba on Thursday, after direct talks with President Salva Kiir and Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel.
The visit, his first to South Sudan since assuming office, sought to test the pulse of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan.
State of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement
According to a joint communiqué, all signatories reaffirmed the accord as the single roadmap to lasting stability and pledged to prevent any rhetoric or action that could reignite violence.
Mashatile described the mood as ‘cautiously optimistic’, adding that implementation gaps remain but ‘are not insurmountable with political will’ (statement from Mashatile’s office).
Elections Horizon and Legal Hurdles
The parties agreed on the urgency of preparing credible elections slated for December 2026, a deadline observers say will test administrative capacity and trust.
Complicating the calendar is the detention of former First Vice President Riek Machar, who faces a special court over March 2025 violence in Nasir.
Officials in Juba insist due process is being followed, while Mashatile urged that ‘legal proceedings should advance transparently and swiftly to preserve confidence’.
Regional Diplomacy and Economic Links
Beyond politics, the deputy president promoted stronger trade and infrastructure ties, noting South Africa’s energy and mining expertise could complement South Sudan’s recovery drive.
Analysts view Pretoria’s engagement as part of broader Southern African Development Community outreach aimed at stabilising the Greater Nile Basin.
Voices Calling for Continued Engagement
Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, revered as the ‘Mother of the Nation’, appealed to Mashatile to ‘keep South Sudan on your diplomatic agenda’; he assured her that Pretoria would ‘walk the journey with you’.
Closing his tour, Mashatile tweeted a picture with Kiir, captioned simply, ‘Peace is the prize’.