By Jacob Onuha Nelson
Central Equatoria State has launched the construction of a Peace Hub Facility construction aim at providing sanctuary in the State.
In a statement dated 21st Jan. 2026 on Wednesday by the state government Press Unit, the construction of Peace Hub would signal the state Government efforts to strengthen peace initiatives and a significant milestone in infrastructural development.
According to the statement, Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony emphasized that the Hub would play a crucial role in providing a space where Government, Civil Societies, Community leaders, and peace partners would collectively work to foster reconciliation and unity among communities.
It underscored that the Government was committed in achieving lasting peace, citing that with collective efforts to implement the sustainable peace program and empowering the youths with capacity building in the state.
“While assuring the State Government’s commitment in achieving lasting peace, Governor Adil underlined the collective efforts in implementing sustainable peace programs, empowerment of local ownership of peace initiatives by communities, capacity building, and inclusions of women and youth as critical peace actors,” the statement partly read.
Meanwhile, Pia Phillip Michael, the Undersecretary in the National Ministry of Peace Building, expressed an appeal for a modern facility that goes beyond just as a center for peace, but also a ground for trauma healing and reconciliation.
However, Jacob Aligo Lo-Lado, the State Minister of Peace Building, noted that once the facility is constructed, it would play a big role in collaboration with other stakeholders.
“It will serve as a center where Government and partners promote cultures of peace, and crucial role of advocating for peaceful settlement of conflicts with community driven solutions,” Lo – Lado partly stated in a statement.
furthermore, Sheila Ngatia, the Deputy Residence Representative for Programmes in South Sudan, emphasized that the Hub was expected to host capacity building initiatives, community connections and address root causes of conflicts through dialogues and safe space.
The Construction of the Peace hub project was expected to take period of four months till its completion with the funding from UNDP and other peace partners in the State.
The situation for peacebuilding in South Sudan, currently fragile and deteriorating, that marked by political instability, renewed clashes, humanitarian crises and stalled core peace agreement commitments, though local initiatives and new “Peace Hubs” are emerging to foster grassroots engagement, research, and conflict resolution training, aiming to complement elite-driven processes and counter systemic issues like resource conflict and political exclusion.