Flags of the Troika Countries | File photo.

Diplomats from the United States, Norway and the United Kingdom, said that political dialogue in South Sudan cannot be considered genuine without the participation of all parties to the country’s 2018 peace agreement, including First Vice President Riek Machar.

Speaking on behalf of the European partners at a briefing of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), U.S. Ambassador Michael J. Adler said inclusive engagement remains essential to sustaining the peace process.

“Peace is our priority in South Sudan,” Adler said, adding that progress depends on renewed political engagement among all parties.

He stressed that meaningful talks require the involvement of all signatories to the agreement. “Peace requires a return to genuine interparty dialogue,” he said.

Adler questioned the legitimacy of current political discussions, pointing to Machar’s absence from the process.

“It is farcical to say that interparty dialogue is occurring, when First Vice President Machar, the head of the second largest party to the 2018 peace agreement, is under house arrest and on trial,” he said.

While acknowledging shortcomings in the 2018 peace deal, the ambassador said it remains the only accepted framework for the transitional government.

“Let us be clear, the 2018 agreement is imperfect… including by the clear signs of lack of political will by its signatories to implement it,” he said.

He added that any reforms must be agreed through inclusive negotiations. “The agreement remains the basis for the legitimacy of the transitional government. Any changes must be made through dialogue involving all parties to the agreement,” Adler said.

He concluded that excluding key signatories undermines the process itself. “Dialogue cannot be said to be authentically taking place without inclusion of all parties to the agreement, including Riek Machar,” he said.