Pushing for peace in South Sudan, Pope Francis visits nation in shambles
Washington PostFeb 03, 2023
Pope Francis arrived in South Sudan on Friday to encourage a peaceful end to the country's conflict that has been ongoing for a decade and has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.
The pope's arrival — accompanied by the head of the Anglican Communion and the leader of the Church of Scotland — is part of a broader African tour to call attention to conflict in the region that saw him visit the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this week.
This is a historical event in the making. Violence in the region has gone on for far too long. As a majority Christian country, the Pope is a highly respected figure, and hopefully, he will be the catalyst needed for political and faith leaders in South Sudan to bring peace and stability to the nation.
While this is an important trip, it's more symbolic than significant, as the Pope's visit alone will not bring the much-needed change to South Sudan. Besides just talking about peace-making, this visit needs to be accompanied by an overhaul in leadership. Until then, politicians will continue to act in their own interests with no regard for those whose lives they impact.
While there's still a long way to go, the young nation of South Sudan has been making progress. In February 2022, the transitional government celebrated two years of the Revitalized Government of National Unity, leaders' work continues to stabilize relations enough that the ceasefire remains active, the civilian death toll is decreasing by a significant measure, and democracy is in motion as government positions at the national and state level are being filled.