A peace deal signed by South Sudan’s president last Wednesday brings new hope to its people. But are words enough?
South Sudan is the world’s newest nation. However since December 2013 a war has been raging, marked by ethnic killings, gang rapes and child soldier recruitment. Around seven ceasefires have been called, however each shattered within days or hours.
Over 2.1 million people have fled their homes due to the political violence. Widespread displacement means people have been unable to farm, leading to drastically reduced food production. This has placed the country on the cusp of famine.
CARE South Sudan Country Director: “We need more than words”
The peace deal – brokered by the regional eight-nation Intergovernmental Authority on Development group along with the UN, the African Union, China, Norway and the United States is welcome news. However John Hoare, Country Director CARE South Sudan believes we need more than just words.
“This is good new but the people of South Sudan need more than words,” he said in a joint statement to the media along with aid agencies Oxfam, IRC and World Vision. “They need real commitment from their leaders to ensure that this is lasting peace, that the violence has ended and the reconciliation process can begin.”
He believes that in order for true reconciliation to be reached, the voices of all South Sudanese including various ethnic groups, political parties, civil society, faith groups, youth and women must be heard and represented.
View our photo story on the challenges of working in South Sudan
Deal helping aid reach those in need
In the joint statement released last week, aid agencies said the deal was “only the beginning of a long hard journey towards peace and reconciliation”.
However relief has already been felt in some of the worst-affected areas, including Upper Nile State. The World Food Programme reported on Thursday that food aid and medical treatment had been delivered to 27,000 people in this area. Previously agencies had not been able to reach these communities due to increased conflict.
“We could see that people are struggling,” says Valerie Guarnieri, WFP Regional Director for East and Central Africa. “We need a stronger presence … to provide immediate food and nutrition support and to reopen schools, ensure health services and support agricultural production.”
Rebuilding lives
It is hoped that the signing of the deal will lay the foundation for a peaceful environment in which humanitarian assistance can be provided to children and their families – something which has proved challenging over the last 20 months.
South Sudan is the world’s newest nations and it is its youngest generation – children – who have borne the brunt of the conflict; unable to attend school, missing on their childhoods and at threat of malnutrition.
With peace now on the horizon, aid agencies say they remain “hopeful” for the children of South Sudan: “We look forward to supporting their development and rebuilding the livelihoods of their families and communities.”