The United States has called on South Sudanese political leaders to return to inclusive dialogue, stressing that lasting peace in the country depends on genuine engagement among all parties, including the leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), Dr Riek Machar.

Speaking on behalf of both the United States and the international community, the US Ambassador said peace remains the foremost priority in South Sudan. The Ambassador emphasised that a meaningful political process cannot move forward without the participation of Dr Machar and other key stakeholders.

South Sudanese leaders signed the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan in Khartoum in 2018, with the aim of ending years of conflict that had severely damaged the country’s economy and displaced thousands of people into refugee camps across neighbouring countries.

The agreement brought President Salva Kiir and Dr Machar together in a Transitional Government of National Unity, based on a power-sharing arrangement intended to allow the signatories to implement the peace process and stabilise the country.

The Ambassador acknowledged that the agreement had helped reduce large-scale violence since its signing. However, he noted that a lack of political will among the signatories to fully implement key provisions of the agreement has negatively affected the peace process.

He further stressed that the 2018 agreement remains the foundation of the Transitional Government of National Unity’s legitimacy, and that any proposed changes to the political arrangement should be addressed through inclusive dialogue involving Dr Machar.

Dr Machar, South Sudan’s First Vice President, is currently facing trial in Juba. Court proceedings have reportedly been underway since 2025. He and seven co-accused face charges including treason, terrorism, murder and crimes against humanity, linked to attacks on government soldiers in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, in March.