For the event it was highly important to use the public dialogue as a crucial opportunity to sensitize the ordinary South Sudanese citizens about the current state of the HLRF talks and hear the voices so that they can be loudly heard on upcoming peace talks.

David Deng, the South Sudanese Human Rights lawyer who gave the keynote address hinged his speech three key pillars: having faith in the negotiation process, agreeing on feasible and sustainable solutions and each one taking responsibility for peace in South Sudan. Reiterating on why the sustainable solutions are important, Deng insisted that “decisions made now can either add more 20 years of war or help us find a better solution to put an end to the ongoing civil confrontation in south Sudan”. To the pessimists who do not believe in the IGAD talks, Deng listed three reasons why the talks are crucial: Firstly, the HLRF has brought together the warring factions and secondly, it has opened space for dialogue. For the talks to work, Deng suggested that more efforts are needed to sensitize the ordinary South Sudanese citizens so they can understand what’s going and by doing so, more powers will be devolved to the local people. This, Deng, emphasized can mostly be achieved if the political elites in South Sudan should create political incentives through consultations and attending to their most pressing needs. Deng also applauded IGAD for employing a very good principle of inclusivity and civic participation which acknowledges that individuals and the CSOs have unique roles to play in the peace process.

During the panel discussion, The Ambassador of South Sudan to Uganda, Hon. Simon Duku said the government desires a maintainable peace but insisted that there is no shortcut route to achieve this. “No stone should be left unturned in our negotiation for peace and reconciliation in South Sudan” The Ambassador emphasized. To re-echo the SPLM-IG position the ambassador mentioned that the “government is interested in accommodating and working with its rivals to implement the transitional government of national unity”.

However, concerned citizen Alikaya Aligo who too was a panel discussant observed that the possibility of the HLRF talks to usher in peace in South Sudan is bleak as both SPLM-IG and IO have failed to come to a common understanding for power sharing. “All of them have failed us the citizens of South Sudan” he decried. Adding that, “South Sudan needs new alternative leaders which can only be found if we put our differences aside and work as a countrymen and women with shared interests, aspirations and values”.

Rita Martin Lopidia, the Executive Director at Eve Foundation for Women Development and also a delegate to the peace talks in Addis Ababa started her submission by re-echoing the objective of the negotiations. The HLRF seeks to “restore total peace, achieve full implementation of the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), revise the timeline and implement the schedule to attain armistice in south Sudan”. She said.

On his part, another panelist, Simon Marot Touloung a refugee youth representative to the peace talks said the high level revitalization forum (HLRF) must focus on addressing the root causes of the problems otherwise this peace talks would be a wastage of resources and time. Toulong was emphatic about the role of South Sudanese youth in championing peace in the world’s newest country. “Peace in South Sudan can only be achieved if the youth direct their energy in productive rather than destructive things” he insisted.

Meanwhile the SPLM in opposition (IO) representative Hon Justin Marona said citizens need to understand the root cause of the glitches and how the High Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) started and one key issue was the insecurity threat to civilians and their properties because of the internal security dynamics within Juba. There was drop out from senior members in the country hence there is a need to holistically address the political bound to have a sustainable peace in south Sudan. He also adds that geopolitics and the regional interests from some member countries has jeopardized the spiraled situation in the country because of the violations even during the second phase of the peace dialogue requesting the lead mediator IGAD to be neutral and pretty encourage a win-win game calling on the civil society to continue with civic education.

During the plenary session, Bishop Mullah, a South Sudanese clergyman recommended the need for a new masterplan to counter to the cyclical episodes of conflict and violence in South Sudan. “If south Sudanese are not willing to work together as a people, peace will never be achieved” he emphasized.

Marta Nyayiey who spoke on behalf of the women said they will soon stop sleeping with their men if they don’t put an end to the senseless war saying the conflict has greatly affected women and children deprived of school in regards to South Sudan’s economy that is rapidly deteriorating.

Conclusively, while the HLRF initiative demonstrates IGAD’s continued attention to the crisis in South Sudan, serious ambiguities, including the questions of who will participate and the extent of the agenda, exist in its design. If such uncertainties remain unaddressed, the prospects for this initiative to reduce violence and restore peace in the war torn country will be uncertain.