PRESS RELEASE : Over 434,000 people have arrived in South Sudan since the outbreak of the Sudanese conflict – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 December 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan and South Sudan.

Thank you President. I thank SRSG Haysom and Ambassador Biang for their updates, and I welcome the presence of South Sudan at this meeting.

President, as we’ve just heard, South Sudan is due to hold elections in just 12 months. Yet few of the basic building blocks for a credible process are in place.

The United Kingdom welcomes the passing of the Elections Act, and the reconstitution of the Electoral and Political Parties Commissions. Such laws, however, need to be implemented and the institutions they create well resourced. This requires genuine political will.

There are fundamental questions for South Sudan to urgently address including on how the South Sudanese casts their votes and how many levels of government they are voting for.

For elections to be free and fair, we urge the South Sudanese authorities to ensure the necessary political and civic space so political parties, civil society and voters can freely express views without fear of reprisal.

The South Sudanese population should feel safe during and after elections.  We call on South Sudan to finalise the deployment of a single, unified national army and to ensure they are adequately paid and provided for.

As we’ve heard, the fighting in Sudan is having a severe impact on South Sudan. Over 434,000 people have now arrived since the outbreak of conflict.

The UK recognises the South Sudanese Government’s provision of transportation to refugees, and the important work of the UN system and humanitarian partners in their response to the crisis.

We repeat our call on the government to create a more enabling environment for humanitarian action, and ensure the safety of aid workers.

President, in closing, we call upon the Government to demonstrate its willingness to put aside individual ambitions and differences. Without this, a credible, safe, and inclusive process next year will not be possible.

Thank you.