President Kiir meets Kenyan delegation in Juba. December 30, 2024. (Photo: Office of the president.).

A Kenyan delegation has reaffirmed Nairobi’s commitment to mediate peace between South Sudan government and opposition groups after meeting President Salva Kiir in a visit to Juba on Monday, the president’s office said.

The delegation led by Nairobi’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region Charles Keter reportedly conveyed a message of goodwill from President William Ruto to the people and government of South Sudan.

The visit comes after peace talks dubbed the Tumaini Initiative reached a deadlock in mid-December and the government delegation jetted to Juba for consultation ahead of possible resumption in January 2025.

Kenya is intensifying efforts to encourage the South Sudan government and opposition holdout groups to prioritize peace for the well-being of the country.

South Sudan’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ramadan Mohamed Abdallah Goc, voiced gratitude for Kenya’s unwavering support to peace in the country, acknowledging Nairobi’s past role in promoting durable peace for South Sudan.

Meanwhile, the Head of the delegation, Charles Keter, reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to facilitating dialogue between the South Sudanese Government and opposition holdout groups through the Tumaini Initiative.

On December 14, the deputy head of the government delegation to the peace process announced that they were taking a brief break for consultations with leadership in Juba before resuming discussions, clarifying that the Tumaini initiative had not collapsed.

Meanwhile, the Head of the delegation, Charles Keter, reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to facilitating dialogue between the South Sudanese Government and opposition holdout groups through the Tumaini Initiative.

On December 14, the deputy head of the government delegation to the peace process announced that they were taking a brief break for consultations with leadership in Juba before resuming discussions.

Puot Kang – who is also the national minister of petroleum – clarified that the Tumaini initiative had not collapsed.

He said the government team would wait for the mediation team to call it back, after further consultation with the leadership in Juba.