Some useful questions to ponder:

1-What is the feasibility of an SPLA government that is technocratic and detached from the politics of South Sudan/ Sudan?

2- With the current situation in both Sudans, under what conditions can both countries co-exist in a federated arrangement that recognizes their unique historical differences?

The idea that there can ever be redress and a shared vision between the two states is not feasible. The history between the two states is deeply entrenched, and there can never be healing if one party feels aggrieved. The most viable and probable issue is what can be done to build separate states that are neighbourly and trade with each other. There should never be a backward look, but we should build on the progress.

As a South Sudanese, I truly believe that we can’t take the long struggle for our liberation for granted. Yes, our country has faced numerous challenges since independence, but the fight for freedom was still a worthy cause. South Sudan, as a young state, still has the opportunity to chart its own path by exploring alternatives to conventional, externally driven models of governance. In shifting focus from individual leaders to recognizing leadership wherever it’s happening—in communities, informal spaces, by young people through artistic expression, digital innovation and beyond—we might discover new ways forward and further investigate- what leadership lessons can be drawn from the ground to inform the kind of statehood that resonates with the context and the aspirations of the people? How can we strike the delicate balance between addressing historical legacies of the past and proactively planning for the possibilities of the future?

Munyaradzi Mapfumo  African Leadership Centre What would it take to build a progressive state in both spaces. Would a technocratic government be useful to such as a process?

Ms Maggie I particularly share your concerns regarding the need for a "delicate balance" and approach to resolving the legacies of historical injustices. How important do you think the youth are to such a process?

For my generation and future generations, any attempt to reunify Sudan would be a betrayal of the 98% who voted for independence. This sentiment is reinforced by recent gruesome atrocities committed against South Sudanese citizens by the SAF during the recapture of Wad-Medani (Sudan). The anger expressed by young South Sudanese online and in major capitals, protesting and retaliating against Northerners in the South, have solidified the desire for separate nationhood and clearly demonstrates that the idea of the two countries coexisting in a confederal system is not the solution. Instead, the two countries can only exist as neighbours.

The notion of unifying the two Sudans is a misguided focus. It diverts attention from the critical issue of leadership and governance failures in South Sudan, particularly the shortcomings of the current government. The challenges facing South Sudan are akin to those experienced by other post-colonial African states, where liberation movements struggled to transition to effective governance models.

The SPLM/A's struggle for liberation has not effectively transitioned from liberation to governance into a robust political system. The same political figures remain in power, invoking the legacy of liberation. A fundamental shift is required, transitioning from a "First Republic" defined by liberation to a "Second Republic" characterized by a lean, technocratic government focused on national interests, human security, and development. The current Tumaini Initiative peace process in Nairobi, Kenya, provides an opportune platform to propose this new political dispensation.

Lastly, the SPLM/A should evolve its role as a political party and embrace its identity as a public establishment symbolizing the liberation movement struggle. This transformation would foster a sense of national unity and shared purpose, neutralizing the divisive politics of liberation.

What is clear is that having an intergenerational conversation on as issue such as the Sudans is critical. Without hearing all sides, the move to find a common understanding of or mutual solution for what the future can look like will continue to stall.

Adeoti Dipeolu  African Leadership Centre I agree with you; we need to foster multi-generational dialogue as well. Our recent engagements with diverse youth groups in Juba have made me realize that there are so many generations in the Sudans that need to be in conversation. This underscores why platforms like APS, combined with sustained engagement, are absolutely critical.

It is interesting that new generation is more nationalist than the older one who does not seem to mind some form of confederation.