South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said a delegation from the African Union Peace and Security Council arrived in Juba on Thursday morning for a three-day visit.
In a statement, the ministry said Ambassador Kureng Akuei Pac, director general for multilateral relations, received the delegation led by Ambassador Hirut Zemene Kassa, Ethiopia’s permanent representative to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Ethiopia holds the council’s rotating leadership for April, with Hirut presiding over meetings and guiding its agenda.
The ministry said the delegation would engage authorities on the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement and discuss the country’s security situation, among other issues. It is expected to meet senior government officials and other stakeholders.
According to a programme seen by Radio Tamazuj, the delegation is due to meet President Salva Kiir and consult a range of actors, including the vice presidency, institutions set up under the peace deal, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission.
The visit comes amid regional and international pressure on South Sudan’s leaders to resume inclusive dialogue, release detainees and prepare for elections.
South Sudan’s security situation remains fragile despite the 2018 peace deal signed by Kiir and his rival, Riek Machar. Machar was placed under house arrest in March 2025 and suspended as first vice president, deepening tensions within the unity government.
The peace agreement and transitional administration have been undermined by continued violence, ceasefire violations and political disputes between the two leaders.
The country’s first general elections have been repeatedly delayed due to a lack of conditions for credible polls and logistical challenges, with authorities now targeting December 2026.
The council’s visit is the latest in a series of efforts to press South Sudan’s leaders to advance the peace process and complete the transition.
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