During the virtual meeting of the Security Council, David Shearer, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said that the progress carried out by the transitional government on the 2018 peace agreement “limps along”. The implementation of the peace agreement was slowed down because of the political and security situation in the country, influenced by the Covid-19 and especially by the violence among Nuer, Murle and Dinka communities in Jonglei and other States.
Progress in the country has been delayed due to irregular cabinet meetings. The pandemic may have worsened the situation, but the main problem seems to be caused by inter-municipal violence. In fact, in the last six months, clashes have caused around 600 deaths and burnt houses, with women and children abducted, according to the UN mission chief.
Overall this year in South Sudan, 7.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance due to malnourishment (close to levels of the 2017 famine), 1.3 million out of which are under-five years old. The UN relief chief urged ambassadors to fund a $1.9 billion response plan to meet this humanitarian crisis.
To know more, please read:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/09/1072502
https://unmiss.unmissions.org/fresh-momentum-needed-kickstart-slow-down-peace-process-south-sudan
Author: Carla Pintor
