Photo Credit| Office of the President

JUBA, South Sudan — A Sudanese delegation led by Darfur Regional Governor Minni Arko Minawi has recalled President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s role in efforts to mediate Sudan’s conflict, while calling for renewed attention to the Juba Peace Agreement and South Sudan’s continued involvement in the search for a political settlement.

The delegation met with President Kiir in Juba and said discussions focused on regional stability, the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement and the importance of South Sudan’s role in efforts to end Sudan’s war.

The delegation said Kiir stressed the interconnected nature of peace in the two countries, saying, “Peace in South Sudan is the peace of Sudan, and the stability of Sudan is the stability of South Sudan.”

It said the South Sudanese president also emphasized the need for regional stability and efforts to establish “permanent stability” despite the difficulties affecting the region.

The Sudanese delegation said it reaffirmed to Kiir the importance of the Juba Peace Agreement, describing the agreement as a contribution to “the stability of Sudan and the unity of Sudan.”

It pointed to what it described as tangible results of the agreement, including security arrangements involving Sudan’s armed forces and joint forces.

The delegation also strongly defended South Sudan’s continued role in Sudan’s peace process, saying, “The role of South Sudan cannot be abolished, no matter how much the world moves, no matter how much the initiatives have grown in Sudan.”

It warned that sidelining Juba would leave a significant gap in the peace process.

“That is why we said that there must be a clear movement on both sides,” the delegation said.

As part of that renewed engagement, the delegation said the Juba Peace Agreement should be assessed to determine what has been implemented and what remains outstanding.

It said a presidential delegation would travel to Khartoum in the coming days “to sit with the parties” and assess “what the deficiencies are” as well as “what are the points that have been implemented.”

The delegation also stressed the importance of permanent peace and national dialogue, saying the role of the state and the region must be exercised through respect for South Sudan’s sovereignty.

It said the delegation would convey its position to the international community, particularly its rejection of the idea that Sudan’s war is simply a struggle for power.

“We will convey this message to the whole world, who think that the problem of Sudan is just a conflict of power,” the delegation said.

“This is not true,” it added, arguing that the conflict has “a very big racial and ethnic side.”

The delegation highlighted Darfur as a central example, saying the conflict had produced massive displacement and fundamentally altered communities’ relationship with their land and homes.

It said Darfur’s population had fallen from about 12 million to about 2 million, adding that “their lands have become the residence of others” and “their houses have become the residence of others.”

The delegation also warned of attempts to erase the history of displaced communities.

“There are people who want to plan and write a new history,” it said.

It argued that these issues must be addressed in any future peace settlement, warning that a political agreement that ignores the ethnic and demographic dimensions of the conflict would not deliver lasting stability.

“Any peace that will come, and any permanent stability, if this side is not taken into account, there will be no peace,” the delegation said.

The remarks place renewed emphasis on both Kiir’s mediation role and the Juba Peace Agreement, while portraying South Sudan as an indispensable regional actor in efforts to resolve Sudan’s conflict.