Workneh Gebeyehu, IGAD’s Executive Secretary, on Thursday urged all sides in South Sudan to embrace restraint and dialogue amid surgingtensions in Nasir County. In a pointed statement, Gebeyehu expressed “deep concern” over the renewed clashes that threaten to unravel the hard-won progress of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
“The latest developments jeopardize the fragile peace we have fought to secure,” he warned, calling on all parties to reaffirm their commitment to the accord and prioritize reconciliation as the only viable path to lasting stability. He stressed that protecting civilians and ensuring regional security must remain paramount.
In response to the escalating violence, the eight-member East African bloc has committed to sending a high-level delegation to assess the situation on the ground and engage directly with the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity. This move comes as clashes erupted in mid-February between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and armed civilian groups in Nasir County—an area now scarred by over 20 fatalities and numerous injuries near the deserted town of Nasir, close to the Ethiopian border.
As the conflict threatens to tip the scales away from peace, IGAD has reiterated its steadfast commitment to fully implementing the R-ARCSS. With South Sudan at a critical crossroads, Gebeyehu’s call for calm and renewed dialogue highlights the urgent need for collective action to steer the nation back toward peace.
