As South Sudan grapples with multiple simultaneous challenges, Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), is urging political leaders to galvanize momentum in ongoing peace processes so that free, fair, and credible elections can be held on time.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, Juba, this morning, the top UN official in the country outlined the vital need to adhere to timelines contained within the current Roadmap; the latter he says, is already significantly behind schedule.
“The constitution-making process, electoral legislation, standing up the necessary institutions and structures, as well as the environment to support robust political competition, require tangible measures,” said Mr. Haysom.
UNMISS, through dialogue-based engagements with a range of stakeholders—women, politicians, youth, faith-based leaders, and the broader civil society—is attempting to bolster a conducive political and civic space and avenues for constructive dialogue to enable citizens to fully participate in the processes that shape their future, revealed the SRSG.
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The aim, according to Mr. Haysom: Generating shared responsibility to advance the peace process.
“The scale and importance of what remains to be done does not leave room for inaction. We still see 2023 as a ‘make or break’ year for this nation if it is to fully implement the Peace Agreement,” he added, while acknowledging that the longer catastrophic conflict in Sudan continues, there will be significant security, economic and humanitarian consequences for South Sudan.
While SRSG Haysom commended South Sudan’s open-door policy for refugees, he expressed his belief that South Sudanese leaders must not “lose sight of the critical need to address its own internal security challenges,” adding that human rights bodies have recorded violations in various parts of the country with with a reported increase in violent incidents affecting civilians compared to the same period last year.
“I was profoundly alarmed that our human rights team has recorded at least 22 civilians killed in Warrap through extrajudicial executions,” said the Head of the UN Peacekeeping mission.
