Envoy Raises Alarm in Juba
Endre Stiansen, Norway’s Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, left Juba with a stark message: South Sudan’s 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement is wobbling under renewed violence and shrinking political trust (Eye Radio, 1 Nov 2025).
During a three-day tour, the diplomat consulted cabinet members, church leaders, civic activists, United Nations staff and fellow ambassadors, piecing together a picture of escalating clashes and worrying aerial strikes across several regions.
Power-Sharing Tested
Stiansen warned that the delicate power-sharing formula, cornerstone of the unity government, is fraying as one signatory complains of being sidelined from key decisions, heightening risks of factional splinters that recalled the traumatic conflicts of 2013 and 2016.
Observers note that without inclusive security arrangements, localized militias quickly fill vacuums, displacing families and complicating humanitarian deliveries already strained by floods and inflation.
Funding Transparency and Oil Revenues
The envoy highlighted opaque management of oil earnings and an uneven exchange rate, asserting that lost revenue denies citizens basic services and saps confidence in the peace dividend.
Economists in Juba echo the concern, arguing that predictable revenue sharing could lower tensions in resource-rich states and deter opportunistic commanders tempted to control wells.
A Call for Political Courage
“It is time to turn the page,” Stiansen implored, urging leaders to reject violence as a bargaining chip and to restart genuine dialogue before election timelines slip further.
Government spokespersons welcomed Norway’s continued partnership and said technical committees are drafting new security and economic measures to reassure communities and donors alike.
Regional and International Stakes
Diplomatic sources suggest the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union may convene an urgent briefing to align mediation efforts, while Washington and Beijing monitor developments keenly.
Analysts caution that renewed instability could trigger population movements toward Uganda and Sudan, complicating regional security agendas already stretched by multiple crises.
Looking Ahead
With the ceasefire fraying yet avenues for compromise still open, many citizens hope that decisive leadership, fiscal openness and coordinated diplomacy can steer South Sudan back to the aspirations of the 2018 accord.