Nevertheless, at this critical juncture, the international community should not stop pressuring all parties, especially the Government, to reach an early agreement. The dynamics of conflict on the ground are intensifying by the day, endangering the lives of civilians and leading to short- and long-term food shortages. It is equally disturbing that further delays are prolonging the process of justice and reconciliation. With the fate of the hybrid court being proposed in the air, the international community should put pressure on the government of South Sudan and the African Union to quickly operationalize it. More generally, the international community should also put pressure on the government to implement future aspects of the revived peace agreement so that a comprehensive peace can take effect. Nevertheless, it may be in the interest of recalcitrant groups to reach an agreement quickly because of their weakened position vis-à-vis the government. The longer it takes to reach an agreement, the more opportunities there will be for fragmentation in their ranks. And the government wastes no time in sowing discord in the ranks of recalcitrant groups. He worked hard to persuade the leaders of these groups to defect to the government. Two high-ranking members of Malong`s faction, for example, have joined the government in recent months.

„The leaders and government of the Republic of South Sudan will go all the way to listen and talk to all opposition parties that have not signed the peace agreement. This is a fundamental policy encouraged by His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit to have peace throughout our country,“ Barnaba said. There are also important political reasons for the slow pace of progress. The formation of a government of national unity between the government and the opposition Sudan People`s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) diverts the attention of the international community from the growing pressure on the parties to the talks in Rome to sign an agreement quickly. Meanwhile, the rebel groups held up in the talks in Rome do not pose a deadly military threat to the government. With the exception of the NAS, these groups do not have armies on the ground, so the government does not feel obliged to reach an agreement. Benjamin said it was important for Sant`Egidio to monitor the implementation of the agreement. He stressed that the government of South Sudan is committed to „inclusion“ and called it „the cornerstone of the future of the Republic of South Sudan.“ He welcomed the presence of SSOMA and its Governing Board, General Thomas Cirillo, the spokesman for Ambassador Emmanuel Ajawin and Dr.

David Bassiuni, who called on them to maintain the momentum of dialogue and agreement. The first meeting provides for a workshop with the participation of military representatives, while the second aims to lead to the signing of a declaration of principles of a political nature. Federalism, the constitution, security, land allocation and reconciliation are among the issues on which agreement can be reached. The delegations, according to Sant`Egidio, reached agreement on most points of the text entitled „Declaration of Principles“, including the federal nature of the government and the separation of powers; national identity and respect for ethnic, cultural and linguistic differences; the creation of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) and the National Constitutional Review Commission (NRC), as well as the creation of a mechanism to monitor economic governance (revenue, budget and expenditure). Pope Francis, who has no international trips planned for 2020, has repeatedly expressed his hope that he will be able to travel to South Sudan next year with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The Pope, together with Archbishop Welby and the Reverend John Chalmers, the former presenter of the Scottish Presbyterian Church, sent a Christmas message to the people of South Sudan in which he expressed his best wishes for the speedy implementation of the peace agreements. Paolo Impagliazzo, Secretary General of the Community of Saint Egidio, presided over the press conference announcing the ceasefire agreement with Benjamin Barnaba, who represents the South Sudanese government, and General Thomas Cirillo Swaka, leader of the South Sudanese Opposition Movement (SSOMA), a coalition of forces that did not adhere to the 2018 Addis Ababa peace agreements. „The Community of Sant`Egidio welcomes the fact that the violence in the Equatoria region has significantly decreased as a result of the ceasefire monitoring agreement reached in Rome a few weeks ago as part of the resumption of dialogue in October,“ the statement continued. Signatories to the „Rome Declaration on the South Sudan Peace Process“ included representatives of SSOMA opposition groups, which refused to sign an earlier peace agreement in Khartoum on September 12, 2018, as well as the Sudan People`s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the National Democratic Movement (NDM) as witnesses.

It was also announced that the Community of St. Egidio will hold meetings between military and political representatives of the two sides to ensure that the opposition is involved in the established mechanisms for monitoring ceasefire violations. The two delegations also agreed on the reform of the civil and public sectors and a new security sector, internal borders between the different regions of the country, respect for territories and the rights of indigenous communities and the active participation of the international community in all phases following the Rome initiative. „South Sudan is a country made up of Christians, especially of the Catholic faith. We believe in His Holiness the Pope, and if he comes to South Sudan – even if the opposition cannot be there for security reasons – we will be happy because our country is our symbol,“ he said. The Community of Sant`Egidio has since begun to hold meetings between military and political representatives of both sides to ensure that the opposition is involved in the established mechanisms for monitoring ceasefire violations. The meetings are scheduled to take place in Rome from 9 to 12 November and on 30 November of the same month. According to the mediators, the Community of Sant`Egidio, two points have yet to be agreed: the nature of the conflict and the method of adopting the new constitution currently being drafted. IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, Amb. Ismail Wais (PhD), congratulated the Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) and the Alliance of South Sudanese Opposition Movements (SSOMA), led by Hon.

Pagan Amum of the Real SPLM and General Paul Malong of the SSUF/A, on the signing of the renewed Declaration of Commitment to the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities of 21 December 2017. Rome Declaration of 12 January 2020 and Rome Resolution of 13 February 2020 on 8 March 2021 in Naivasha, Kenya. Pope Francis has repeatedly prayed and called for peace in South Sudan. In April 2019, he held a retreat at the Vatican with the country`s rival leaders. On this occasion, the Pope made the unprecedented gesture of kneeling to kiss his feet when he asked him not to return to civil war. The Rome-based Community of Sant`Egidio announced on Wednesday (October 14th) a breakthrough in talks between the South Sudanese government and the opposition movement`s alliance. Dr Barnaba said that the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) commits the parties to the CoHA and provides reports of violations. Barnaba recalled Pope Francis` invitation to the warring parties to „focus on what unites and not on what divides.“ The signatories of the statement wrote that they were „humbled by the relentless spiritual and moral call for peace, reconciliation and fraternity of Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury and former moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, as well as that of the South Sudanese religious leaders for reconciliation, peace and fraternity.“ The two factions agreed on a ceasefire, continued dialogue and pledged to promote peace in the country. „We have accepted the cessation of hostilities, so there will be no confrontation between opposition forces and the government. This means that there will be relative security and allow for the mobility of South Sudanese local and international visitors, such as His Holiness the Pope, as early as February,“ De John said on January 13.

„The talks were successful in initialling the Declaration of Principles, which will serve as a basis for further negotiations. The next round of talks is scheduled for November 30, 2020,“ he added. During this week`s talks, the SSOMA faction, led by Pagan Amum and Paul Malong, became a signatory to the ceasefire monitoring process and security arrangements. In the discussions, however, the National Salvation Front (NAS) was missing. The NAS withdrew from the peace process in Rome in November last year to protest government attacks on its forces in Central Equatoria despite a ceasefire signed between the two sides. The NAS also protested the targeted killing of one of its commanders in Uganda by suspected government agents. The mediators said talks were under way to persuade them to participate in the talks again. Thanks to its tireless efforts and experience in mediating conflicts, the Rome-based community of St. Egidio on Wednesday announced a breakthrough in talks between the South Sudanese government and the Opposition Movement Alliance, which agreed on a ceasefire and continued dialogue in pursuit of peace in the world`s youngest nation. Despite the efforts of other rebel groups, the National Salvation Front had not signed the September 2018 peace agreement, and although the rebel group`s leader agreed to a ceasefire earlier this year, there have been numerous violations. „We gathered here in recognition of the tireless efforts of His Holiness Pope Francis when he called the leaders of our country and asked them for peace,“ said Pa`gan Amum Okiech, a member of the SSOMA Governing Board and acting president of Sudan`s People`s Liberation Movement. .