President Kiir chats with opposition leaders Pagan Amum and Paul Malong in Nairobi. (-)

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) –  President Salva Kiir extended a renewed invitation to holdout groups and ‘pro-peace’ opposition forces, urging them to join the peace process for reconciliation and nation-building.

The president made the statement during his address at the opening of the First Session of the Revitalized Transitional National Legislature on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

President Kiir emphasized the urgency of their participation, stating, “I extend my hand for peace once more. The suffering of our people must not be prolonged by the continued rejection of dialogue. The doors of peace remain open.”

He called on “all factions outside the peace process to join us on the path of reconciliation, unity, and nation-building.” A key component of this appeal was the President’s call for the integration of opposition forces committed to peace.

“The opposition forces that are for peace must be welcomed and immediately integrated so that we have one national army,” he declared, highlighting the vision of a unified national defence.

To bolster the implementation of the peace agreement, President Kiir stated that he recently reconstituted the High-Level Standing Committee for its execution.

This committee is tasked with working closely with electoral and transitional justice institutions to ensure their responsibilities are “fully and timely executed.”