IGAD Expresses Concern Over Escalating Tensions in South Sudan

Djibouti – Sudanhorizon

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has expressed concern over reports that Dr. Riek Machar Teny, First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, has been placed under house arrest and the escalating political tensions in South Sudan.

IGAD said it considers these developments to seriously undermine the renewed The Revitalized Agreement for Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and threaten to plunge the country back into violent conflict.

The Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Workneh Gebeyehu, in the communiqué of the 43rd Extraordinary Session of the IGAD Heads of State and Government, held on March 12, 2025, called on “all parties to immediately refrain from any unilateral actions that violate the spirit and letter of CPA-ARCSS, which remains the only viable framework for achieving sustainable peace in South Sudan.”

He noted that the current trajectory, if left unchecked, could lead to the collapse of the transitional process and a return to all-out war, with dire consequences for the people of South Sudan and the region as a whole.

Gebeyehu also urged all parties to the agreement to exercise maximum restraint, prioritize dialogue, and resolve differences through peaceful and inclusive means.

He affirmed IGAD’s efforts to support mediation efforts, calling on regional and international partners to reinforce the need to maintain peace in South Sudan.

He concluded by saying, “The people of South Sudan deserve lasting stability, not a return to conflict.” IGAD reaffirms its commitment to the full implementation of (R-ARCSS), and urges all concerned parties to act responsibly for the sake of peace and national unity.

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