PRESS RELEASE : HRC52 – Statement on High Commissioner’s report on South Sudan [April 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 April 2023.

Interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on technical assistance and capacity-building for South Sudan.

Thank you, Mr Vice President.

Let me begin by thanking the High Commissioner for his report. We share his sobering assessment of the continuing dire human rights, humanitarian and security situation in South Sudan, and in particular that – and I quote his words – “Rule of law mechanisms, as well as accountability mechanisms for human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law committed across the country, continue to be weak or non-existent, thus perpetuating widespread impunity and leaving victims without redress or effective remedies”.

We of course agree that South Sudan is in real need of technical assistance and capacity building to help improve its human rights situation and to build a sustainable peace, but that is only part of the solution. We need accountability and a more comprehensive approach to improving human rights in South Sudan is needed, which has to include, for us, the continued scrutiny by the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan.

We do encourage, once again, the Government of South Sudan to continue its cooperation with the Commission, and we encourage our fellow Council members to extend its mandate in full this session.

So if I may ask, what immediate steps the Government can take in implementing the Revitalized Peace Agreement, including Chapter V, to improve the human rights situation on the ground?