The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has expressed alarm over reports of the house arrest of South Sudan First Vice President Riek Machar Teny, and the escalating political tensions in the country.
In a statement, the Authority said these developments seriously undermine the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and risk plunging the country back into violent conflict.
IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu called on “all parties to immediately refrain from unilateral actions that violate the spirit and letter of the R-ARCSS, which remains the only viable framework for sustainable peace in South Sudan”.
“The current trajectory, if unchecked, could lead to a collapse of the transitional process and a relapse into full-scale war, with devastating consequences for the people of South Sudan and the region at large.”
Gebeyehu was highlighting the Communique of the 43rd Extraordinary IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government of March 12, 2025.
The Executive Secretary also urged “all signatories to the Agreement to exercise maximum restraint, prioritise dialogue, and resolve differences through inclusive and peaceful means”.
He reiterated IGAD’s readiness to support mediation efforts and called upon regional and international partners to reinforce the imperative of preserving peace in South Sudan.
He emphasised that the people of South Sudan deserve lasting stability, not a return to conflict.
IGAD reaffirmed its commitment to the full implementation of the R-ARCSS and urged all stakeholders to act responsibly in the interest of peace and national unity.
Earlier, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) warned of a possible return to civil war following Machar’s arrest.
In a statement, the Head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom called for immediate recommitment to peace between the warring factions.
He insisted that while the leaders committed to a revitalised peace agreement, any changes to it by any party will only take the country backward.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS also said that such a move will also destabilise not only South Sudan but the entire region.
"Tonight, the country's leaders stand on the brink of relapsing into widespread conflict or taking the country forward towards peace, recovery and democracy in the spirit of the consensus that was reached in 2018 when they signed and committed to implementing a Revitalized Peace Agreement.
"Unilateral amendments by Parties to that agreement that jeopardize the hard-won gains of the past seven years risk returning the country back into a state of war. This will not only devastate South Sudan but also affect the entire region," Haysom said.
Machar and his wife, Angelina Teny, were placed under house arrest on Wednesday night, an action that now threatens peace in the fragile nation.
