Sustainable peace in South Sudan can be achieved if the international community turns its efforts toward grass-root initiatives that promote reconciliation, an IGAD envoy has said.

Lazarus Sumbeywo who was among the mediators between the government and the SPLM-IO in Addis Ababa says the world should engage chiefs and other local leaders in dialogue rather than concentrating on the politicians.

Sumbeywo, who also midwifed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, CPA, in 2005, says the Agreement on the Resolution of the conflict in South Sudan depended too much on politicians making concessions, and this has made it difficult to bolster peace amongst communities.

General Sumbeywo believes that the region and the international community do not fully understand the complexity of South Sudan issues.

He cautioned against the imposition of ideas that may deepen animosity.

“It could actually take tribal chiefs to resolve this conflict in South Sudan, rather than a round-table conference, because we will be prescribing something which is alien to them,”  Sumbeywo told Kenya’s Television Network, KTN.

He said the issues affecting South Sudan are brought about by political rivalry which derails development and peaceful initiatives:

“There are three things that are ailing South Sudan. One; the elites want to control resources that are very scarce at the moment. Two, ethnicity; the elites again are riding on ethnicity; they are riding on their own people. And the third; is really the economic meltdown.”

The mediator also said the appointment of Taban Deng Gai as the First Vice President does not go contrary to the peace agreement.