South Sudan deputy foreign minister Monday Semaya Kumba. (Photo: Courtesy).

The South Sudan government is calling for an immediate ceasefire among the warring parties in Sudan, while advocating for unified mediation efforts that recognize Sudan’s sovereignty.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Monday Semaya Kumba made the remarks at a mediators retreat on Sudan in Djibouti on Friday.

Amb. Kumba highlighted South Sudan’s role in the Sudan peace process and called for unified efforts to address the ongoing conflict, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.

“He (Kumba) advocated for an immediate ceasefire, monitored by an African owned mechanism in partnership with reliable global partners, and stressed the urgent need for accessible humanitarian assistance, peace talks, and civilian protection,” reads the statement, in part.

The retreat of multilateral organizations and international stakeholders happens as the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been invited to Switzerland for US-mediated talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire.

The conflict between the junta under General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and RSF of General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, erupted in April 15, 2023, and has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Fighting continues daily in several parts of Sudan, with both sides accused of war crimes including the deliberate targeting of civilians, indiscriminate shelling of residential areas and blocking humanitarian aid.

 The United Nations said the country is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory and the largest internal displacement crisis in the world.

At the retreat in Djibouti, Amb. Kumba reportedly emphasized the importance of respecting Sudanese sovereignty, views, and the dignity of its people.

The diplomat urged the warring parties in Sudan to honor the ceasefire agreement signed in Jeddah and announced his country’s readiness to facilitate an upcoming stakeholders’ meetings and peace negotiations in Juba.

The Sudan war is severely hurting South Sudan economy after oil export facilities were damaged – robing the country of its chief revenue and leaving the national currency badly weakened as civil servants have not been paid for 10 months.

In October 2023, the warring parties accepted an invitation to resume United States and Saudi Arabia-brokered negotiations in Jeddah and held pre-negotiation talks to end the war.

But the Jeddah peace efforts were immediately dealt a blow after the Sudanese army pulled out of the negotiations – accusing the RSF of violating the humanitarian ceasefire and failing to implement the commitments it had made during the negotiations.