This week, Afghan and Pakistani tribal elders reach peace agreement on part of the border. Canada supports media freedom and peace in South Sudan. Russia and Ukraine announce different ceasefires.
Afghan and Pakistani Tribal Elders Reach Peace Agreement on Part of the Border
Amidst ongoing border violence, Afghan and Pakistani tribal elders came together to call for a ceasefire. On May 4, the elders met in the Nawa Pass area to issue a joint statement calling for both sides to stop attacking each other and civilian areas, and to let displaced families return home, Kabul Now reported.
According to Tribal News Network, the talks resulted in a historic ceasefire in which there will be no firing from Bajaur and Mohmand toward Kunar, or from Afghanistan’s Kunar province toward Pakistani territory.
The meeting came after weeks of informal engagements between tribal leaders.
Pakistan accuses the Taliban in Afghanistan of harboring militants who attack Pakistan. The UN’s office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs in Afghanistan posted on X on April 7 that the conflict had displaced 94,000 people.
Canada Supports Media Freedom and Peace in South Sudan
On May 3, World Press Freedom Day 2026, the Embassy of Canada in South Sudan held a dialogue with Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), gathering journalists, civil society representatives, and diplomats in Juba.
Joanne Minns, Canada’s Ambassador to South Sudan, said that accurate and independent information is needed to build trust between citizens and institutions, and that a free press directly aids peacebuilding.
Minns said, “A free and independent media is not something that comes after peace—it is a foundation for peace. Where journalists can work freely, societies are more resilient and better equipped to address challenges through dialogue rather than conflict.”
Minn added that South Sudan was at a “critical juncture” since the relationship with citizens and institutions is “under strain.” The theme of the dialogue was “Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Security.”
South Sudan’s conflict is between the military, which is loyal to Kiir, and insurgents believed to be allied with the suspended vice-president Riek Machar. Fighting between government and opposition forces continues to kill and injure civilians in several states, with 169 people killed and 4,000 displaced in the Abiemnhom area of Unity state on March 1.
Russia and Ukraine Announce Different Ceasefires
Russia and Ukraine this week announced different unilateral ceasefires. On May 4, Russia announced that its ceasefire would run from May 8 to 9, coinciding with its Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War (which it calls World War II). Meanwhile, Ukraine announced on May 5 that its ceasefire would run from May 5 to 6.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy he had received no official notice from Russia, and that Ukraine would follow a separate ceasefire beginning at midnight on Tuesday, May 5. Zelenskyy wrote on social media “As of today, there has been no official appeal to Ukraine regarding the modality of a cessation of hostilities that is being claimed on Russian social media.”
Peace talks have been stalling for Russia and Ukraine. Back in March, a Ukrainian delegation returned from two days of talks in Miami over what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as “the key points, opportunities and challenges.” US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said on March 22 that while the talks were “constructive,” the talks did little to achieve peace.
Keywords: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, Ukraine, South Sudan, Canada, peace, conflict, conflict resolution
Tara Abhasakun
Tara Abhasakun is Peace News Network (PNN)'s managing editor. She is journalist based in Christchurch, New Zealand, and formerly in Bangkok, Thailand. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
