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- Unified regional approach on South Sudan conflict is “critical” says United Nations head in country

Unified regional approach on South Sudan conflict is “critical” says United Nations head in country

A coherent and unified regional approach on solving the conflict in South Sudan has been urged by the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country (UNMISS) who described it as “critical” in helping to bring an end to fighting.

David Shearer, who is also the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, was addressing a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Wednesday via video link from the South Sudanese capital, Juba. 

Mr Shearer welcomed efforts by countries in the region to step up their engagement on South Sudan, adding that it “remains critical, a coherent and unified regional approach on South Sudan is forthcoming.”

The Special Representative told the 15-member Council that the arrival of seasonal rains in South Sudan is expected to shift the focus of conflict in the country “from the battlefield to the political arena.” 

He welcomed a unilateral ceasefire and a review of cases of political prisoners declared by President Salva Kiir on Monday, but said “there will be close scrutiny on the number of prisoners who are actually released, and whether CTSAMM, established by the Peace Agreement to monitor ceasefire violations and supported by UNMISS, can move freely to perform its ceasefire monitoring tasks.”

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General also briefed the council on UNMISS’ recent activities on the ground including the support given to humanitarian workers in Aburoc, where 20,000 civilians have sought refuge from fighting.

He described how many of those people were in a weak condition, with little access to clean water and food. He said that there had been some cases of cholera but that the presence of a “strong medical response from agencies contained its spread, undoubtedly saving many lives.” 

UNMISS has reiterated that this peacekeeping presence on the ground is temporary and that when the seasonal rains arrive it will be impossible to sustain operations.

 

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To read Mr Shearer’s remarks to the Security Council on the UNMISS website: http://bit.ly/2qkbIqn