South Sudan's Turbulent Path to Peace Resumption: Challenges Ahead

South Sudan's peace talks, initially held in Kenya, are set to resume as directed by South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Kenya's President William Ruto. The talks had stalled due to withdrawal by Riek Machar's party, citing concerns over replacing the 2018 peace agreement. The ongoing economic crisis deepens instability.

South Sudan's peace talks are poised to resume following a significant push from President Salva Kiir and his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto. The leaders, after meeting on Wednesday, urged the mediation team to address all pending issues within two weeks.

Negotiations hit a deadlock when opposition leader, Riek Machar's party, pulled out in July, objecting to proposals to alter the 2018 agreement that ended a brutal civil war. Despite the agreement's incomplete implementation, national elections have been delayed from December 2023 to 2025 to accommodate essential electoral protocols.

The Tumaini peace initiative in Kenya, started in May, aims to integrate non-signatories into the peace framework of the country beset with ethnic tensions. Concerns emerge around a new security law that could empower detentions without warrants, drawing criticism from western nations and human rights watchdogs. Meanwhile, the nation grapples with an economic crisis stemming from a disrupted oil pipeline, leaving civil servants unpaid for nearly a year.

(With inputs from agencies.)