As President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar prepare for a face-to-face meeting in Addis Ababa, a leading civil society group urged both leaders to show leadership and end one of Africa’s deadliest civil conflicts.

The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), a South Sudanese civil society group, said the planned meeting between Kiir and Machar raises hopes for peace and stability in South Sudan.

Edmund Yakani, executive director of the civil society group, urging President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar to make compromises for the sake of peace.

He pointed out that engaging other political actors for reaching an inclusive peace process will be remarkable.

He urged the two leaders to stop the ongoing violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement signed in December last year and to easy humanitarian access in the country.

“Provide clear and straightforward directives to the delegations to make the next phase of the IGAD-led HLRF successful,” he appealed.

“Accept the former Kenyan Prime Minister’s initiative for handshake as a long term national political reconciliation engagement. Agree to reconcile as leaders for the nation to enjoy peace and stability,” he said.

Yakani also called on the two leaders to organize a joint public briefing as a gesture of moving the country away from violence to peace.

“The meeting should be taken as a great chance of remembering the struggle for the independence of our people from the long-term marginalization and oppression by enemies of South Sudanese growth and development. Political differences are part of human society but the challenge is how to handle the political differences professionally and non-violently without creating any harm to the lives and properties of the citizens,” he said.