17�Թ���

[As Delivered]

Mr. President,
Distinguished Members of the Security Council,

Thank you for the opportunity to brief on the situation in South Sudan as outlined in the Secretary-General’s report submitted to this Council.

Since our last briefing to this Council, as emphasized in the report of the Secretary-General, there has been a continued erosion of the gains previously made in the peace process, including of the trust and confidence built among the parties to the Revitalized Peace Agreement. There has been an escalation of political and subnational violence and stagnation in the implementation of the Peace Agreement.

Since March this year, military offensives, primarily involving the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces against the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition and including aerial bombardments and ground operations, have continued.�� They have undermined Chapter Two of the Peace Agreement and resulted in deaths, displacements and destruction of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and schools.

The international community, including the United Nations, African Union and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), have repeatedly called for a cessation of hostilities, de-escalation and return to dialogue.�� These calls, however, have not yielded any concrete response. ��Instead, a pattern of violations and unilateral actions persists, and continue to undermine the ability of the Government of national unity to implement the Agreement.

There is a concern that the current military posture and ongoing operations will spur more violence and exacerbate inter-communal conflict. ��If this trend continues, it will likely lead to a shift in conflict dynamics, from subnational and community-based violence to a more complex landscape shaped by ethnic divisions involving signatory parties and other actors, including those from neighboring countries.

The ongoing spread of mis- and dis-information on social media risks further inflaming political and intercommunal tensions. This would ultimately undermine the cohesion and peaceful coexistence that must form the very foundation of this young nation.

Mr. President,

The current security and political tensions, including the ongoing arrest and detention of opposition figures without due process, have hampered efforts to complete the outstanding transitional tasks, particularly security sector reform and the electoral and constitution-making processes. While government officials have publicly expressed their commitment to elections by December 2026, the Parties must take steps to return to dialogue and make the necessary decisions to move the country forward. Declarations of commitment are not enough. They must be followed by concrete and constructive actions, in both the letter and spirit of the Peace Agreement. The holding of elections requires specific steps to be undertaken in line with what was agreed by the parties to the Agreement.

In this regard, we urge the Government to reconvene the Joint Task Force on Elections and Constitution Making as reiterated by the AU Peace and Security Council in its communiqué following the 12 June meeting, in the interest of transparency and cooperation.

We also note that President Salva Kiir has formed a “High-Level Ad Hoc Committee on the Implementation of the Revitalized Agreement” with some 31 appointees to ensure implementation of key benchmarks, including elections, across all chapters of the agreement, except Chapter Two. We encourage all parties to engage in constructive dialogue and confidence-building measures to foster a more inclusive and collaborative process, including the SPLM-IO led by Riek Machar.

Mr. President,

We welcome the commencement of the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly session on 16 July, after a six-month recess.�� The Council of Ministers, the central executive forum tasked with driving implementation of the Peace Agreement, however, has yet to convene since March. This situation underscores the urgent need for the parties to re-engage through the institutional mechanisms and decision-making bodies established under the Agreement. We call for the revival of multiparty government bodies and processes, which remain critical components of a pluralistic, functioning, power-sharing government. ��

We commend the sustained engagement of civil society, particularly women and youth, who continue to advocate and to call for a return to the Revitalized Agreement.

We take note of the recent adoption of the five-year Strategic Plan of the Judiciary of South Sudan that focuses on judicial independence, access to justice, accountability and gender mainstreaming. While this is an important step forward, it is equally important to recall that it must be followed by the full range of actions necessary to achieve these goals. Similarly, the technical bodies of the electoral and constitution-making processes continue vital preparatory work, with support from 17�Թ��� and other partners, despite a lack of funding by the Government.

Mr. President,

As we have consistently emphasized before this Council, our role is not to impose external timelines or conditions.�� It is to assist the parties to the Revitalized Agreement in implementing the provisions of the Agreement that they themselves reached by consensus. ��In this regard, 17�Թ��� has continued to provide impartial technical and logistical support to the transitional Government in the implementation of the key tasks under the peace agreement.

We affirm the importance of resolving political differences through dialogue and preventing a return to large-scale conflict, we also emphasize the need for inclusive, credible, and representative governance within the Unity Government, both in structure and functioning.

Mr. President,

We welcome the efforts of the African Union and IGAD, including the recent visits of the African Union Peace and Security Council and IGAD’s Executive Secretary to Juba.�� We look forward to these regional entities supporting the parties in redoubling efforts for the inclusive implementation of the peace agreement.

The shared message of the AU, IGAD and the UN, as well as the broader international community, is one and the same. We call on the parties to unblock the current political deadlock by fully recommitting to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, releasing the political detainees, engaging in direct high-level dialogue, and implementing an inclusive peace process, particularly on key issues such as transitional security arrangements, transitional justice, constitution-making, and elections.

Mr. President,

The humanitarian situation in South Sudan is alarming. Funding cuts are leaving millions without lifesaving assistance. Halfway through 2025, the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is only 28.5 per cent funded. Between April and July, some 7.7 million people faced high levels of acute food insecurity, including 83,000 at risk of catastrophic conditions.

Access challenges are growing, the protection for civilians is worsening. Access incidents affecting humanitarian operations are nearly double those of one year ago. Violence against aid workers, poor infrastructure, and administrative obstacles continue to impede relief efforts.

Meeting South Sudan’s humanitarian and development needs are challenging, but achievable. Government leadership in natural resource management and stronger public financial management are vital. Better alignment of budgets and expenditures for essential services, including health, education and humanitarian support, can reduce suffering, build resilience and advance peace.

Mr. President,

South Sudan is at a turning point. The Revitalized Peace Agreement remains the only viable framework to break the cycle of violence in South Sudan and advance the transition towards the country’s first democratic elections, which the people have aspired for so long and which they deserve.

We urge this Council to give its full support to the people of South Sudan. ��We hope that the Council will impress on all actors and stakeholders, including South Sudan’s political leadership, the imperative of respecting both the letter and spirit of the Peace Agreement. They must act in good faith, refocus on the implementation of the Agreement and lay the groundwork for credible and peaceful elections in December 2026. Failing this, the risk of a relapse into widespread violence will only grow, against the background of an already unstable region. It is, therefore, our shared responsibility to work in close coordination and synergy to help the South Sudanese parties to avoid such an outcome. The people of South Sudan are counting on us.

Thank you.
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Contact: 17�Թ��� Spokesperson at unmiss-spokesperson@un.org