PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 55 – UK Statement on South Sudan [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 March 2024.

UK Statement for the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on South Sudan, delivered at the UN Human Rights Council.

Thank you, Mr President,

Let me start by thanking the Commissioners for their report, and their vital work which makes such an important contribution towards peace and reconciliation in South Sudan.  We also welcome the presence of the other speakers on this panel, including the Honourable Justice Minister of South Sudan.

Mr President we regret that the situation in South Sudan remains grave, according to a wide range of UN and other reporting. Civic space and media freedom remains severely restricted. Civil society actors face reprisals for exercising their right to the freedom of expression and sub-national conflict continues to provoke appalling acts of conflict-related sexual violence.

The UK is clear that the Revitalized Agreement must be honoured and fully implemented, including by establishing the Chapter Five transitional justice mechanisms intended to ensure accountability for violations and abuses. We regret that these institutions have still not been established and the Revitalized Agreement remains severely off track, including the recent failure to renew the Joint Action Plan for Armed Forces on Conflict Related Sexual Violence.

We therefore believe that there must be continued, robust scrutiny of South Sudan’s human rights situation by the Commission, and we call on the government to deliver on its commitment to ensure democratic elections, accountability and full respect for human rights in South Sudan.

Commissioners, Mr Volkmann,

What more in your assessment can the international community do to protect the role of journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society in the run up to the 2024 elections?

Thank you.