Opinion | South Sudan’s pivotal moment: critical choices ahead

OPINION – Thirteen years after independence, South Sudan stands at a crossroads. The country has been plagued by cycles of violence, displacement, and economic crisis. If these crises persist without a change in direction, the nation faces imminent collapse.

At this critical juncture, South Sudan must choose between two options to forge a path forward before the transitional period ends in February 2025. The country can either initiate an inclusive constitution-making process to ensure the transition to democracy or maintain the status quo.

Firstly, an inclusive constitution-making process holds significant potential to inspire and empower ordinary citizens to shape a promising future for South Sudan. Over the past 13 years, South Sudanese citizens have lacked the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions about their governance preferences or establish a social contract.

This inclusive process can lay the groundwork for genuine democratic governance, ensuring that all citizens’ voices are heard and respected, ultimately fostering unity and stability.

Conversely, maintaining the status quo, marked by repeated failures to implement signed power- sharing peace agreements like the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS) in 2015 and the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in 2018, as well as the ongoing peace talks in Nairobi between the South Sudan Government and opposition groups, could exacerbate turmoil.

It is therefore crucial to break this cycle of unfulfilled promises and adopt a more effective and inclusive approach to governance and peacebuilding.

A fundamental issue with past peace agreements and the current peace talks in Nairobi lies in the absence of a substantive framework to address the root causes of South Sudan’s crisis. There is an urgent need to establish a social contract through a constitution-making process that defines South Sudanese identity and outlines inclusive governance principles that respect the citizenship rights of all people, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, gender, or origin.

Historically, peace agreements in South Sudan have faltered because they were designed mainly to temporarily reintegrate opposition leaders, offering them short-term political positions before marginalizing them anew. This pattern risks repeating itself in the Nairobi peace talks.

While seen as an opportunity to engage more political groups and stakeholders, the Nairobi process may stumble if it fails to rectify past agreement shortcomings and address core conflict issues with commitment from all parties. Without a fundamental shift in political dynamics and genuine long-term peace and reform commitment, the Nairobi peace talks risk perpetuating the status quo and becoming another unfulfilled promise in South Sudan’s troubled history.

Therefore, to guide South Sudan towards genuine democracy and stability, critical considerations include an inclusive permanent constitution-making process, repatriation of refugees, addressing internal displacement, achieving economic stability, managing Sudan conflict repercussions, comprehensive institutional reforms, transparency promotion, corruption reduction, and investments in education and healthcare. These factors are pivotal in charting a clear path forward. Establishing a robust civic-minded culture is also essential to ensure South Sudan’s democratic future. Having missed several opportunities for democratic transition, South Sudan must now make critical choices to break this cycle and establish a stable, democratic future.

The author, Lilian Riziq is a renowned social justice activist and a leading figure in South Sudan’s women’s movement. Her work focuses on advancing gender equality, fostering peace, and promoting social justice throughout South Sudan. She can be reached via: lilian.riziq@gmail.com.

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