Traditional leaders in South Sudan can play a vital leadership role in building a lasting peace and reconciling warring communities, the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission has said.

JMEC chairperson Festus Mogae said the leaders have been effective peace mediators and adjudicators in conflict resolution.

Speaking during a meeting with community chiefs over the weekend, Mr Mogae said traditional leaders have shown they can champion the peace process by which hostilities can be brought to an end.

“We can all agree that traditional leaders have historically been effective mediators and adjudicators in their communities by implementing positive traditional forms of peacekeeping, conflict resolution and intervention on behalf of victims of injustice,” Mr Mogae said.

JMEC chief said the voice of elders as traditional leaders “must continue to be heard across the communities and throughout the country”.

Mr Mogae said inclusivity is and should be about communities and all other parties that have a stake in the peace process.

He said these should include other political parties, church organizations, women, civil society groups, and the youth.

“I appeal to you as I have done to the rest of the leaders of this country to go all out and peace and reconciliation to extend of friendship to all including estranged members of the opposition, offering assurances of safety,” he added.

For his part, the President of Chiefs Council of South Sudan, Deng Macham Angui, said the chiefs need to be partners in the Peace Process together with the international community.