Peace and Security Council of the African Union, or AU says it cannot be an observer when South Sudanese are suffering.
This comes after the AU met with the South Sudan national dialogue committee.
The committee was formed after President Salva Kiir Mayardit announced the peace process in 2016 and was officially launched on May 22, 2017.
Bankole Adeoye, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the AU says the Peace and Security Counci met with the steering committee to show its solidarity with the country.
He says the national dialogue is complementary to the High Level Revitalization Forum and should involve everybody, including women, children and stakeholders.
The only way to achieve peace is to dialogue and forget all the differences, Adeoye adds.
He notes that AU must be an active participant to bring peace to South Sudan.
‘The African Union will not be a bystander when people are suffering. We cannot be observers. We must be active participants and that is the purpose of our field mission by the peace and Security Council. We want to thank the steering committee members of the national dialogue in what they are doing in trying to reconcile, promote unity and ensure that this country focuses on sustainable development. The only way we can have sustainable development is to have sustainable peace. This is the main mandate of the peace and security council’.
The Permanent Representative of the AU hopes that the peace will be signed in the coming revitalization forum.
Adeoye stresses that the implementation of the agreement is very critical to the process.
‘On behalf of the African Union, we want to show our solidarity with the people of South Sudan. We hope that in the next high level revitalization forum, the agreement should be signed. Implementation is very critical. We urge all parties and all stakeholders to respect the agreement that was signed in 2015 and the revitalization process to make peace and development focus of everyone in South Sudan’.
Angelo Beda, Co-Chair of the Steering Committee says the national dialogue process is moving well.
The Forum will be the third phase of the process to bring peace to the nation.