AU Security Council to hold urgent talks on South Sudan amid rising violence

ADDIS ABABA – The African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) is set to hold a high-level session on 19 January to review the deteriorating political and security situation in South Sudan, amid growing fears that the country could slide back into full-scale war.

The meeting will be the Council’s first substantive engagement on South Sudan since its 1308th session in October 2025, when it expressed grave concern over rising political tensions and the risk of renewed violence.

Since then, the council notes, the implementation of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) has further weakened, with multiple provisions reportedly violated and localised armed clashes intensifying across parts of the country.

In a statement ahead of the session, the AU PSC noted that much of the peace agreement has been “systematically undermined,” prompting renewed calls for an all-inclusive political dialogue as the only viable path toward restoring stability.

A key issue expected to dominate the discussions is the government’s move to amend the R-ARCSS by delinking the December 2026 general elections from the permanent constitution-making process, the national population census, and housing data requirements.

The Council of Ministers approved the proposed amendments on 23 December 2025, and the changes are now expected to undergo review by the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) before being tabled for ratification by the national legislature.

President Salva Kiir’s government has defended the amendments as necessary to overcome repeated electoral delays and to ensure the country proceeds to the polls as scheduled.

However, opposition groups and several signatories to the peace agreement have rejected the changes, describing them as unilateral and illegal alterations made without consensus — a move they warn could further destabilise the fragile transition.

The AU meeting also follows a recent visit to Juba by the AU High-Level Ad Hoc Committee on South Sudan, led by South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola. The delegation assessed the status of the peace agreement and raised concerns over unilateral amendments and slow progress in key transitional reforms.

Human rights organisations are urging the AU PSC to take stronger action. Allan Ngari, Advocacy Director for Africa at Human Rights Watch, called on the Council to press all parties to immediately end attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, halt the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and guarantee unimpeded humanitarian access.

Ngari further urged the AU to sanction commanders and officials responsible for serious abuses, reconsider its previous stance on lifting the UN arms embargo, and commit to a clear timeline for establishing the long-delayed hybrid court for South Sudan.