He also took note of messages stemming from the recent International Conference on Women’s Transformational Leadership, held in the South Sudan capital of Juba. Calls for action at the gathering insisted on more protected space for women and girls “to embrace their role as change agents”, he said.To address the current situation and ongoing concerns, the UN Human Rights Council will consider the latest report on South Sudan on Tuesday. At a time when there is an urgent need to ensure safe access to reach those requiring assistance, cooperative international efforts must address the drivers of the protracted crisis, he said, calling on the Security Council for its support.
‘Stark choice’
“We see 2023 as a ‘make or break’ year and as a test for all parties on the peace agreement,”said Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Following a Government request for assistance ahead of the planned elections in 2024, he said a 2021 assessment mission indicates that efforts should focus on creating the architecture and environment for safe elections. Tareq Talahma, Acting Director of the Operations and Advocacy Division in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), briefs the UN Security Council meeting on the situations in the Sudan and South Sudan.
Inclusive new constitution, elections
In 2023, 9.4 million – 76 per cent of South Sudan’s population – may need humanitarian aid, he said. An estimated 7.8 million people may face food insecurity, with many facing catastrophic conditions, including more than 1.2 million children under age five facing acute malnutrition. “Together, we need to do more in 2023,” he said. “We urge all actors to ensure the de-escalation of violence and uphold commitments.” However, early action is vital to prevent further suffering, he said, adding that OCHA aims at expanding efforts to reach, among others, more than 2.2 million people who remain internally displaced, some since 2013.
Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, briefs the Security Council meeting on the situations in the Sudan and South Sudan.
Elaborating on the current worsening situation, Tareq Talahma, Acting Director of the Operations and Advocacy Division at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said record high needs are growing.
Worsening humanitarian needs
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas UN Photo/Rick Bajornas “We believe there are some key hurdles that the parties must clear in order to successfully position South Sudan to complete the final leg of the transitional phase,” he added, pointing to several areas for action. Reporting limited progress in implementing the agreement and its road map to peace, Mr. Haysom welcomed the transitional Government’s commitment, but said current “slippages” in meeting agreed timelines remain a concern. On the heels of parties extending timelines by two years, he said “neither stakeholders nor the international community are of a mind to contemplate further extensions”.
Call for early action
“There is a need to fast-track all preparatory work now,” he said, urging that the transitional Government finalize the legal framework and reconstitution of the National Elections Commission. Briefing the Council on the UN Secretary-General’s latest report on South Sudan, he offered a priority action plan for the critical phase of implementing the nation’s milestone 2018 peace agreement designed to end a devastating civil war. “The leadership of South Sudan is now facing a stark choice,” he said. “They can embark upon a path of mutual cooperation and reconciliation in the urgent implementation of their peace agreement, or they can take a low road which privileges self-interest and conflict over nation building.” He also shared progress and reflections during the reporting period of 1 December to 15 February, which saw escalating humanitarian needs amid violence, displacement, hunger, climate shocks, and public health.
Human Rights Council
Noting that climate shocks and conflict continue to affect the humanitarian situation, he said the current .7 billion response plan to reach 6.8 million people in need, remains only three per cent funded.
