As South Sudanese warring parties are set, albeit be grudgingly, to embark on implementing the
peace agreement they signed in August 2015, a sense of cautious optimism is being expressed,
and rightly so. Since it broke out in mid-December 2013, the war has heavily inflicted on the
young nation untold level of damage and suffering, and so it makes a complete sense that there is
a great longing for peace, stability and prosperity. However, putting the country on the path towards peace and stability surely requires genuine resolve and commitment not only on the part of the signatories to the peace deal but also of the South Sudanese citizenry. Moreover, both the region, which helped mediate the peace talks and the international community that provided the needed resources and relevant technical support to the process would do well to ensure that the post-conflict recovery agenda succeeds. To turn the tide against the bitter and acrimonious atmosphere the war has created, collaboration of all different camps involved is an avoidable necessity that should be fully observed. That is, overcoming the difficult situation whose deep wounds are still raw demand that South Sudanese from all walks of life need to fully embrace the window of opportunity the peace deal provides and use it strategically to further the gains of independence.
