(JUBA) – Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan, the first resident Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan, has urged the country to honour the legacy of the late Pope Francis by working towards “true and durable peace.”
Speaking during the opening of the Juba Ecclesiastical Province Plenary Assembly on 8 July, Archbishop Horgan said Pope Francis’ 2023 visit to South Sudan was a sign of deep concern and love for the people of the world’s youngest nation.
Appointed in May 2024, Archbishop Horgan said the Pope’s call for peace must not be forgotten, especially at a time when the country appears to be sliding back into violence. He reminded participants of the Pope’s belief in dialogue as the pathway to reconciliation and the silencing of weapons as its visible fruit.
He described the worsening political and security situation since March 2025 as deeply troubling.
“There is already a kind of low intensity war taking place,” he said, pointing to renewed hostilities, attacks on roads, mobilisations by paramilitary groups and general insecurity.
The Archbishop said such violence undermines the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed in 2018.
The renewed tensions, particularly between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), have been fuelled by the reported arrest of key political figures, including First Vice President Dr Riek Machar Teny. This incident and others have raised fears of a full return to armed conflict.
Since the 2018 peace agreement signed in Addis Ababa, progress has been slow and uncertain. Ethnic divisions, unresolved power struggles and delays in implementation have continued to threaten stability. According to Archbishop Horgan, the current political crisis has worsened displacement, with tens of thousands fleeing renewed fighting.
He revealed that in his discussions with President Salva Kiir and Foreign Minister Deng Dau, he shared the Vatican’s concerns.
“I told the President of Pope Leo’s distress over the deaths, injuries and suffering.”
The Archbishop added that he proposed a unilateral ceasefire by the government, saying such a move could change the tone of national politics and offer a new opening for peace.
Timeline of Events Since 2018 Peace Agreement
Year Event/Development Impact on Peace Process 2018 R-ARCSS signed in Addis Ababa Ceasefire agreed, transitional gov’t formed 2023 Pope Francis visits South Sudan Boosts global attention on peace and unity Mar 2025 Tensions escalate; political arrests reported Breakdown in trust, fears of renewed war Jul 2025 Archbishop Horgan proposes ceasefire Calls for fresh national dialogue
In his speech to the plenary, which brought together Catholic Bishops from across the country, Archbishop Horgan praised the efforts of local Church leaders, especially Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla of Juba, for promoting reconciliation.
He emphasised that the Catholic Church in South Sudan must continue to advocate for peace, even if it does not take political sides.
“We must express our dismay at the suffering caused by conflict,” he said.
The Church, he added, should help give voice to peace appeals, particularly at a time when violence risks becoming normalised.
The Apostolic Nuncio urged the bishops to consider issuing a collective pastoral statement on the state of the nation, adding that messages of dialogue and forgiveness should be repeated constantly.
Pope Francis passed away in April 2025, having visited South Sudan in February 2023 as part of an ecumenical “pilgrimage of peace”. For the Vatican’s representative in Juba, that legacy must now be lived out through practical steps towards peace, including respect for dialogue, protection of life and disarmament.
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