Mogadishu: The African Union has appointed former Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gas as its new Special Envoy and Head of Mission to South Sudan, assigning him with leading mediation and peacebuilding efforts in a nation teetering on renewed conflict.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, officially welcomed Dr. Gas to the position on Monday, calling the appointment “a pivotal step in strengthening the AU’s engagement in South Sudan.” He expressed confidence that Dr. Gaas’s “deep regional understanding and extensive political experience” would help revive the country’s faltering peace process.
Dr. Gaas, a seasoned Somali statesman and academic, served as Somalia’s Prime Minister from June 2011 to October 2012, where he oversaw the country’s transition from a transitional government to a permanent political framework. He is widely credited with authoring the “Roadmap for the End of Transition,” which laid the foundation for Somalia’s democratic institutions after two decades of instability.
After leaving office, he briefly served in the Federal Parliament before being elected as the fifth President of Puntland State in January 2014, leading the autonomous region for five years. His tenure in Puntland focused on governance reform, institutional development, and regional diplomacy.
The appointment comes at a volatile moment for South Sudan, where rival factions continue to recruit fighters, including children, in violation of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). Recent field reports by the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) have warned of “a growing risk of full-scale civil war” as political tensions deepen.
In August 2025, the AU’s Peace and Security Council conducted a field mission to Juba, meeting with government officials, opposition representatives, and regional mediators to encourage renewed commitment to the peace deal. The PSC’s June 2025 communiqué also expressed “deep concern” about the deterioration of security and called for a ceasefire, the release of detained officials, and full implementation of the R-ARCSS.
The AU has been coordinating its efforts with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and neighbouring states including Uganda, which recently deployed special forces to support President Salva Kiir’s government amid fears of renewed fighting.
Dr. Gaas will oversee the AU’s field engagement in South Sudan, working to bridge gaps between rival factions, ensure protection of civilians, and promote governance reform. His mission will also involve coordination with international partners to support peace consolidation and institutional rebuilding in the world’s youngest country.
“I intend to focus on practical, African-led solutions that bring sustainable peace and unity to the people of South Sudan,” Dr. Gaas said in remarks following his appointment.
