Ramaphosa hails progress in building South Sudan

President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed South Sudan's journey to statehood, commending progress made towards consolidating and constructing its nationhood.

Calling it a "remarkable and largely untold story", the president related how South Africans understand the challenges of national reconstruction and the difficulties of forging national unity in a multi-ethnic society.

"Much like our own experience as South Africa, the people of South Sudan were faced with the task of constructing a new nation in the midst of conflict and social divisions, all the while contending with a legacy of racial discrimination and oppression. 

"The South Sudanese set out to do so in the face of the most extraordinary challenges. The incoming government of the newly independent country of South Sudan had to build an economy and institutional capacity from the ashes of their sad past."

Emerging from the shadow of Africa's longest civil war in 2011 to become the world's newest independent nation, Ramaphosa said the south of Sudan had been deliberately marginalised prior to independence.

"It was one of the world’s least developed places with high levels of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and poor health outcomes. There was also the impact of the two Sudanese civil wars between the north and south that lasted for more than 20 years and resulted in shattered livelihoods, displaced people and the loss of more than 2-million lives. 

"These massive challenges of political transition and reconstruction, coupled with deep social divisions, resulted in internal conflict that threatened South Sudan’s prospects for stability, peace and progress."

In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa detailed how South Africa was among the countries that joined the peace effort when the internal conflict broke out.

"The signing in 2018 of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan became a beacon of hope. 

"It is admirable that the permanent ceasefire continues to hold and the parties to the agreement have honoured their commitment to end armed conflict and engender national security by seeking to form a united national defence force through the cantonment and training of former combatants."

According to Ramaphosa, the agreement includes commitments to adopt a permanent constitution and the creation of unified security services.

"The political and legal framework that is being implemented outlines the aspirations of the people of South Sudan to bring a permanent end to armed conflict, consolidate democracy and determine their collective destiny."

The president revealed South Africa has provided development, mediation and other forms of assistance to South Sudan since 2005.

"We have been consistent in our support for the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity and the people of South Sudan as they navigate the transition period. 

"We continue to provide support at a bilateral level and as chairperson of the African Union (AU) high-level ad hoc committee on South Sudan, also known as the C5. This committee consists of South Africa, Algeria, Chad, Nigeria and Rwanda."

As one of the guarantors of the peace agreement, Ramaphosa said all the countries mentioned have invested a great deal of time and effort to ensure there is stability.

"South Africa helps South Sudan with capacity building for state institutions and programmes for post-conflict reconstruction. We have used our country’s African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund to provide humanitarian assistance to people in South Sudan negatively impacted by the conflict."

Ramaphosa relayed how South Sudan is at a crucial point in its journey towards consolidating democracy, with elections scheduled to be held in December this year before the revitalised agreement expires in February 2025.

The president said he was pleased with progress made in the preparations for elections, including the establishment of a national elections commission and the registration of political parties.

Ramaphosa called for investment in South Sudan, saying the country needs it to develop social and economic infrastructure. He said some South African companies have demonstrated their confidence in South Sudan's economy and have a presence there.

During his recent working visit, the president spotted a mural of former president Nelson Mandela alongside that of Dr John Garang, founding leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army, at a school in Juba.

In the same way Africa’s independence movement inspired South Africa's own liberation struggle, he said this reminded him that South Africa's democratic transition in 1994 gave encouragement to the people of South Sudan. 

"Thirty years since we attained our freedom, we are proud of our ongoing support for the efforts of fellow African countries to emerge from conflict to rebuild and consolidate democracy. Despite the ravages of a bitter war, South Sudan was remarkably able to emerge and join the community of nations. 

"With the ongoing political and material support of the international community, the UN, the AU and other countries supporting the peace process, stability, prosperity and a sustainable peace in South Sudan are well within reach."

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