Pope Francis’s Visit to South Sudan and its Significance

The Significance First, the visit brought the world religious leaders in one place to pray for, plead with, and counsel the leaders and the people of South Sudan. [...] The choreograph was superb, reflecting the good organizational skills from the Vatican, the local Catholic Church, and the national organizing team, especially the Presidency. [...] According to the Holy See, “[l]eaders are the springs that water the life of the community.” He went on to emphatically state that “South Sudanese need fathers, not overlords; they need steady development, not constant collapses.” The challenge is now for all the leaders across the board to do the needful and move this country to the next frontier, thereby realizing the ideals of the liberation st. [...] He went on to say: “This is the path to take: to respect one another, to get to know one another and to engage in dialogue.” He asked South Sudanese to “[d]ialogue without duplicity and opportunism.” Role of the International Community The Holy See urged the international community not to just analyze and report on the situation. [...] The R-ARCSS and Roadmap The Holy See urged South Sudan to turn the page, committing to an urgent implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and the Roadmap, which the parties endorsed.