Negotiations between the South Sudanese government and the rebel opposition groups, not part of the 2018 peace deal which brought an end to the five-year civil war in the country, started in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, with African leaders in attendance, the media reported.
During the launch of the talks, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir reportedly expressed his gratitude to his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, for organizing the event. He also promised that his government would negotiate with sincerity and openness.
Kiir also expressed hope that the rebel opposition group will share "a similar conviction and desire for peace in South Sudan, which, when fully achieved, will bring everlasting stability and economic development in the region," the media said.
"We need to leave the mindset of conflict; we need to stop seeing ourselves as enemies. We are brothers and sisters, President Kiir; we are brothers and sisters," Pagan Amum Okiech, the opposition leader, was quoted by the outlet as saying.
Following the event, Ruto expressed his confidence in the effectiveness of this initiative.
"Africa cannot afford further conflicts. As leaders, we must live up to our responsibilities. It is on this account that Kenya undertakes to be at the center of the South Sudan mediation process. We are persuaded that this inclusive initiative will sustain durable peace, stability and progress in South Sudan and the region," he posted on social media.
According to Ruto, among those attending the event were Malawi's leader, Lazarus Chakwera; Zambia's President, Hakainde Hichilema; the Central African Republic's President, Faustin-Archange Touadéra; Zimbabwe's leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa; and the African Union Commission Chairman, Moussa Faki.
The 2018 agreement, known as the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, ended the civil war in the country, which started in 2013 between Kiir and his then-Vice President, Machar.
The fighting quickly escalated along ethnic lines, primarily between the Dinka and the Nuer ethnic groups. Crimes, including ethnic cleansing and targeted killings, were committed by both parties, according to Adama Dieng, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.
In 2018, the country came under United Nations sanctions, including asset freezes, travel bans, and an arms embargo. In May 2023, the punitive measures were prolonged for another year, which was opposed by Russia.