A coalition of over 200 civil society groups is appealing to President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar to use the face-to-face meeting to end the 5-year civil war.

The two leaders are currently in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, where they will hold one-on-one discussions this evening.

In letter title, the citizens’ agenda for your face-to-face meeting, the civil society groups warned that the civil war has divided South Sudanese along political lines and is rapidly fragmenting communities into ethnic and regional enclaves.

The South Sudan Civil Society Forum says if Kiir and Riek fails to reach a meaningful reconciliation at this meeting, all hopes for a united, stable and peaceful South Sudan will be shattered.

“At this critical moment where our nationhood and our collective future is at stake, we remind you of your moral and political obligations to meaningfully reconcile with each other as well as with all other political leaders in our country,” reads the letter in parts.

It also encourages the leaders to hold joint public events, starting with a joint press conference after the face-to-face meeting.