Security Council Press Statement on South Sudan
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Karen Pierce (United Kingdom):
The members of the Security Council took note of the agreement by parties to the “Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan” (the Agreement) to extend the pre-transitional period by 100 days effective from 12 November.
The members of the Security Council expressed disappointment that Parties to the Agreement failed to take the steps necessary to peacefully form a “Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity” by the previously extended deadline of 12 November, and emphasized that full implementation of all provisions of the Agreement will set the country towards the goal of peace, stability, justice, and development.
The members of the Security Council expressed concern that parties to the Agreement have not made substantive progress on implementation of critical tasks of the pre-transitional period of the Agreement, including transitional security arrangements and determination of the number and boundaries of states, and called on the parties to make immediate progress on these tasks and on outcomes agreed at the 9 November 2019 “IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development] Ministerial Consultative Meeting with the Parties to the R-ARCSS [Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan]”, including for the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) forces to immediately vacate all remaining civilian centres and populated areas.
The members of the Security Council welcomed the agreement for the guarantors and the parties to establish a mechanism to supervise the implementation of critical tasks, and called on the guarantors and parties of the Agreement to quickly operationalize the mechanism and set out clearly how it will operate in coordination with the existing mechanisms and institutions of the Agreement, as well as stakeholders to the South Sudan peace process.
The members of the Security Council called on parties to the Agreement to publicly reaffirm their commitments to the Agreement and to the 21 December 2017 Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities and Protection of Civilians, and Humanitarian Access.
The members of the Security Council called for the Government of the Republic of South Sudan to disburse the balance of its pledged funds for implementation of the Agreement in a transparent and accountable manner and to continue to make funds available for ongoing implementation of the Agreement.
The members of the Security Council urged parties to the Agreement to continue taking steps in line with the provisions of the Agreement to promote the full, effective, and meaningful participation of women in the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity.
The members of the Security Council took note of the call by the Peace and Security Council of the African Union upon the Government of the Republic of South Sudan to expeditiously work towards the operationalization of all transitional justice mechanisms, including the Hybrid Court for South Sudan.
The members of the Security Council expressed appreciation for the leadership of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in advancing the peace process for South Sudan, and welcomed the commitment and efforts of IGAD, its member States and the guarantors to the Agreement to continue engaging with South Sudanese leaders to ensure the peaceful formation of a Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity.
The members of the Security Council expressed support for IGAD’s work to establish a road map and implementation plan to ensure the timely completion of pending pre-transitional tasks.
The members of the Security Council reiterated their call for IGAD to continue addressing the status of Riek Machar as a key confidence-building measure conducive to forming a Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity.
The members of the Security Council reiterated their appreciation for the critical role the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), and Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission play in supporting implementation of the Agreement, and demands the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and opposition groups cease obstruction of UNMISS and CTSAMVM activities.
The members of the Security Council expressed concern at the dire humanitarian situation, which has been exacerbated by severe flooding, as well as the human rights and economic situation in South Sudan, and called on all parties to the Agreement and armed groups in South Sudan to cease all acts of sexual and gender-based violence, end the recruitment and use of child soldiers, killing and maiming or sexual violence against children, and to release all children that have been recruited to date.
The Security Council recalled its resolution 2222 (2015) on the protection of journalists, and affirmed that the work of a free, independent and impartial media constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society, and thereby can contribute to the protection of civilians.
The members of the Security Council stressed that actions which threaten the peace, security, or stability of South Sudan may be subject to sanctions under resolutions 2206 (2015), 2290 (2016), 2353 (2017), 2428 (2018) and 2471 (2019).
The members of the Security Council reiterated their support for the people of South Sudan and reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and national unity of the Republic of South Sudan.