The following address was given by Seyoum Mesfin, Special Envoy of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), who is chief mediator of South Sudan’s peace talks.

Mesfin, the former foreign minister of Ethiopia, spoke on Saturday on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, at a dinner organized by members of the religious leaders’ delegation, who have participated in the peace talks as one of the ‘stakeholders’.

Eid al-Adha means ‘the feast of the sacrifice’ and commemorates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son to God, who spares the child and substitutes a lamb.

Speech of Amb. Seyoum Mesfin:

Leaders of stakeholders and delegations, honourable guests, ladies and gentlemen:

Eid Mubarak.

As we are celebrating the Eid or the festival of sacrifice, this young nation has also tested many generations of South Sudanese, for dignity and liberation. Many generations have made heavy sacrifices, ultimate sacrifices of human lives.

Sudan has also made many sacrifices, sacrifices of lives and interest, in the interest of peace and in recognition of dignity and aspiration of the people. The entire region has also made sacrifices in the interest of larger peace, dignity and equality. Today, you are also called upon to make more sacrifices to save senseless killings, to save the lives of a young generation.

I had hoped that ultimate sacrifices were left behind after the young baby was delivered [i.e. the independence of South Sudan], never expecting… that they would again be tested, making ultimate sacrifices.

I think with this backdrop, what the representatives of the stakeholders – the people and leadership of South Sudan – have been playing in the last 15 days in Bahir Dar was truly to meet the challenges, to make sacrifices, individual and group sacrifices in the interest of their nation and people.

We have been honoured as mediation to witness a big leap of goodwill, political will and commitment to meet the challenges.  I will make it brief because yesterday we had our briefing to the leaders of the various stakeholders on what we have achieved, on what we will do – but on what we need to do in a week or two weeks in order to build on the momentum of what we have achieved during this session.

Ladies and gentlemen, this session has been exceptional when compared to the previous five sessions. The two committees, the leadership committee and the [technical] committee have done… an excellent job.

What we have achieved was what could have achieved [earlier], but at least we have made a stride – we have seen a major step forward towards achieving the ultimate objective of achieving peace in South Sudan.

The technical committee has more or less harmonized the agreed areas between the stakeholders. So also the leadership committee has achieved what it can achieve within these 15 days… in the area of system of governance, in the areas of the structure of the transitional government, major principles have been agreed upon, including by the leadership committee.

We have now reached a stage where particularly the principles of the two warring parties in South Sudan today, His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, and Former Vice President Leader of the SPLM/A in the Opposition Dr. Riek Machar are called upon to make sacrifices in the interest of the people, in the interest of South Sudan.

South Sudan is seeking their assistance to achieve a final breakthrough in the process that we have embarked on, seeking for peace. That’s why we are now adjourning until the 15th of this month. All the leaders will have the time and the opportunity to sit with their principals, with their constituencies for consultations of their view in order to pave the way forward in the next phase or the second part of this phase or session.

So also, the mediation and the mediators’ team will have also the opportunity to consult leaders of IGAD who have remain seized of the situation in South Sudan. We will have also the opportunity to consult the principals’ and constituencies of the stakeholders so that … we could bring results to finalize what is remaining [to be done] at the earliest possible time.

So when we adjourn this time, it is with great hope and truly not with some light but visible light that we see at the end of the tunnel of this process. We have never been so close to achieving peace than we are at the moment, compared to our journey of the last nine months.

This is what I could say in general, but what we have discussed in more detail with the leaders of the various stakeholders, we hope you will sit among your groups have a briefing from them…

We are not in a mission without end. The mission must have to come to an end. But the end of this mission must achieve for South Sudan lasting and durable peace so that South Sudan will live in peace, tranquility and fight against backwardness and toward prosperity.  We are confident that you will make it.

This text reproduces the speech near verbatim, with some redaction for length and clarity. The speech was delivered in English.

File photo: Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin

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