20/12/2025
Troika Warns South Sudan Peace Deal Is Failing, Raises Risk of Renewed War
JUBA, South Sudan, Dec. 20, 2025 — The United States, United Kingdom, and Norway on Wednesday warned that South Sudan’s 2018 peace agreement is failing, issuing an unusually blunt rebuke of the country’s leadership and cautioning that renewed large-scale conflict is increasingly likely.
In a joint statement, the Troika said the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) has not met its core objectives under President Salva Kiir, describing a political, security, and economic situation “approaching collapse.”
The statement accused the presidency of undermining power-sharing arrangements through unilateral political and military reshuffles, rather than advancing unified governance and preparations for elections.
Tensions have escalated following the reported arrest and detention earlier this year of First Vice President Riek Machar and other senior figures from his SPLM-IO party. Observers say the move has effectively paralyzed implementation of the agreement and heightened the risk of factional violence.
Despite significant oil resources, the Troika described South Sudan as “the world’s poorest and most corrupt country,” citing unpaid civil servants, opaque oil revenues, and widespread mismanagement. International donors, it said, are now funding more basic services than the government itself.
The Troika warned that the nationwide ceasefire has effectively collapsed, with clashes reported in Western Equatoria, Upper Nile, and the Nasir area. It also accused government forces of carrying out aerial attacks against civilians and obstructing the operations of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Alongside regional bodies including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union, the Troika called for an immediate “reverse of course.” Key demands include the release of all political detainees, a return to a nationwide ceasefire and leader-level dialogue, transparency in oil revenue management, and an end to interference with humanitarian and UN operations.
With the mandate of the transitional government nearing another uncertain deadline and elections tentatively discussed for December 2026, the Troika warned that failure to take concrete steps could lead to tougher international measures, including sanctions or a reassessment of diplomatic and financial support.
