Prayers were said for South Sudan at the African Biblical Leadership Initiative forum in Malawi today.

This follows the signing of a peace agreement between the two warring sides in the world’s youngest nation last month. 

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 following Africa’s longest-running civil war, but the fledgling state plunged into internal conflict two years later, resulting in thousands of deaths and in 2.2 million people to flee their homes. 

More than 100 church and civil society leaders thronged around three MPs from the world’s newest nation. 

Prayers were said for peace in South Sudan, as well as for the country to emerge into a better-educated, more prosperous future. 

David Smith, head of international programme for the British and Foreign Bible Society, sponsors of the event said: "The Church has to pray for true peace in South Sudan. 

"The government and the rebel leadership have signed a peace agreement, but with tens of thousands dead and millions displaced, for South Sudan to find peace a huge amount of repentance, forgiveness, justice and healing is needed. 

"It’s in that context that the Bible is essential. These are all biblical concepts."

Earlier in the day MPs from both the government and rebel sides of the South Sudan conflict had spoken of their experiences of protracted and repeated civil war. 

The Hon Anne Linno (pictured) from the South Sudanese government told the forum that the country needed to establish a committee of truth and reconciliation. 

She asked Church and civil society leaders from ABLI to take a lead in seeing it established.

Image: The Hone Anne Linno, image courtesy Bible Society/Clare Kendall