Critical Electoral Questions Remain Unanswered amidst Grim Humanitarian Situation in South Sudan, United Nations Officials Tell Security Council
Country ‘Cannot Afford to Address the Challenges Alone’, Says Representative
While South Sudan anticipates holding its first elections in December 2024, key institutions and legal frameworks are yet to be established and critical questions remain unanswered, the top United Nations official for the country told the Security Council today, as speakers warned that intercommunal violence and a massive influx of returnees and refugees continue to worsen the already dire humanitarian situation in the country.
Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), briefing the Council on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the situation there (document S/2023/657), stressed the need to determine the type of elections to be held, voter‑registration requirements and the nature of participation by refugees and internally displaced persons. Of particular importance is the stalled Constitution-drafting process, to be carried out in an environment that respects the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly and encourages civic engagement, he added.
Highlighting “modest progress” towards realizing the goals of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, he outlined further steps that should be taken by the country’s political leadership, including the need to pass priority election-related legislation in parliament. For its part, UNMISS currently seeks to support a two-phased approach to assist South Sudan in preparing for elections: in the first phase, it will focus on capacity-building for establishing key institutions and expanding civic and political space; in the second, it will support the electoral process itself.
Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, then painted a grim picture of the dire humanitarian situation in South Sudan. She reported that, at the start of 2023, more than 9.4 million people in the country — 76 per cent of the population — required humanitarian assistance. In addition, more than 260,000 people had arrived in South Sudan seeking protection and safety, most of them South Sudanese nationals fleeing violence in neighbouring Sudan.
Relatedly, South Sudan’s trade and economy have been negatively affected, with food prices increasing between 20 and 75 per cent, she said, adding that worsening food insecurity has increased gender-based violence. While the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for South Sudan — which requires $1.7 billion to support 6.8 million people — is only 46 per cent funded, she emphasized that “the people of South Sudan want to move beyond humanitarian support, to stand on their own two feet, and to thrive and flourish as an independent nation”.
Racheal Juan, Advocacy and Peace Coordinator, South Sudan Council of Churches, speaking via videoconference, said that young people and civil society actors in the country cannot speak openly without fear. Stressing the importance of widening civic space to advance the Revitalized Peace Agreement, she recalled that she has facilitated local peace talks and witnessed peace agreements between communities that facilitate reconciliation and healing. She expressed concern over the exclusion of women and young people from decision-making and nation-building processes, advocating for their engagement with the joint task force on elections.
In the ensuing discussion, numerous Council members emphasized the need for increased humanitarian aid to address South Sudan’s influx of refugees, and urged UNMISS, the Transitional Government and humanitarian partners to strengthen efforts to provide returnees and displaced persons with adequate shelter and medical services. Members also discussed the appropriate manner in which UNMISS, along with the Council, should support the country moving forward.
The representative of the United States said that fighting in Sudan continues to severely impact South Sudan’s resources, humanitarian needs, security and infrastructure as more than 250,000 returnees and refugees seek refuge in camps for the internally displaced, including UNMISS protection-of-civilians sites. He cautioned that rising tensions between new arrivals and residents are contributing to the violence, as evidenced by clashes in such sites and camps.
Similarly, Brazil’s representative pointed out that the unforeseen influx of returnees and refugees from the north and the late arrival of the rainy season have led to an increased need for humanitarian assistance. As violence surges in the Lakes, Unity, Upper Nile and Warrap states, UNMISS’ role has become even more important in improving security across South Sudan. Therefore, the Council’s continued support for UNMISS must be firm and clear.
Mozambique’s delegate, speaking also for Gabon and Ghana, said that UNMISS should continue implementing its mandate to protect civilians, mitigate violence and support peace dialogues, thus ensuring complementarity with the efforts of South Sudanese authorities. “This could be one of the most memorable moments in the history of our sisterly country,” he said, citing the preparation of its first electoral process. He also stressed that the humanitarian response for Sudan must be coordinated with neighbouring countries — particularly South Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic.
China’s delegate, meanwhile, called on the international community to respect the sovereignty and ownership of South Sudan, while providing support for its political process and election preparations. Accordingly, he urged the Council to lift its arms embargo on the country, also emphasizing that the development and management of oil resources should be decided by the South Sudanese Government and people. On pushes to expand the Mission’s mandate — which have impacted trust with the host country — he said that too much emphasis has been placed on the use of force as a priority method to protect civilians.
Rounding out the discussion, the representative of South Sudan attributed the dire humanitarian situation in his country to the conflict in neighbouring Sudan. The considerable influx of refugees and returnees continues to pose a challenge, he said, emphasizing: “South Sudan, with limited capacity, cannot afford to address the challenges alone.” Nevertheless, he said that — despite the slow implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement — the parties remain committed to its logical conclusion “both in letter and spirit”, which will allow for general elections to be held in December 2024.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode
https://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15412.doc.htm
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