Women mediators expand outreach in Juba
South Sudan’s Women Peace Mediation Team says it has been meeting diplomatic missions and local stakeholders to help ease the country’s political crisis and support efforts to revive the stalled peace process.
The women-led group is supported by UN Women and organised by the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), according to organisers. It held its second peace meeting on Friday evening at the South Sudan Council of Churches headquarters in Juba.
Inclusive dialogue with faith leaders and disability groups
Organisers said the gathering aimed to widen participation in peace discussions. Representatives of people with disabilities attended, alongside Christian and Muslim religious leaders, in what was described as an effort to strengthen inclusive dialogue at a sensitive political moment.
Call for political parties to implement 2018 peace agreement
Flora Lukudu Justin, a member of the mediation team, said discussions centred on sustained engagement with political parties that signed the 2018 peace agreement.
“We are urging all political parties to come to dialogue because we believe that, as South Sudanese, a homegrown solution is the best option for all of us,” Lukudu told reporters. She urged signatories to implement the agreement “in letter and in spirit.”
Ceasefire appeal amid displacement and renewed violence
The mediators also called for a halt to fighting in parts of the country, arguing that continued violence has displaced civilians and intensified hardship.
“Our people are running from one place to another, and it is enough,” Lukudu said, urging political leaders to prioritise dialogue over conflict and to address disputes internally rather than relying on external intervention.
Briefing diplomats and seeking regional backing
Lukudu said the team plans to meet ambassadors accredited to South Sudan to brief them on the role of women mediators and to seek regional and international support for inclusive peace efforts.
The Women Peace Mediation Team includes members from diverse professional backgrounds and presents itself as a platform to identify gaps slowing implementation of the peace deal through consultations with political parties.
Peace process stalled amid election disputes and clashes
The initiative comes as implementation of the 2018 revitalised peace agreement remains stalled, amid disagreements over preparations for elections scheduled for December 2026 and renewed clashes in parts of the country.
Fighting has been reported between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO). Dr. Riek Machar, leader of the SPLA-IO and a key signatory, remains in detention in Juba on treason charges.