UNSC Prog Aug 2026: South Sudan's UNMISS & Developments in Sudan's Darfur, Blue Nile, Kordofan

Denmark holds the presidency of the Security Council in August. Council members adopted the provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (3 August). Read more.

From What's In Blue 

Posted Mon 3 Aug 2026 - excerpts:

Security Council Programme of Work for August 2026

Council members are expected to hold closed consultations on Sudan on 5 August. Denmark and the UK (the penholder on the file) requested the meeting on 31 July to discuss the humanitarian situation in the country, particularly developments in the Darfur, Blue Nile, and Kordofan regions. An OCHA official is expected to brief.

The Security Council will hold an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the situation in South Sudan and the work of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Briefings are expected from Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS Anita Kiki Gbeho, Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) Major General (retired) George Aggrey Owinow, and a civil society representative.

Original: https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2026/08/security-council-programme-of-work-for-august-2026.php

Ends

Sudan & South Sudan: Nicholas Haysom (UNMISS) Briefing to UNSC on situation in Sudan & South Sudan

HERE is a video showing a Summary Briefing to the UN Security Council today (14 Dec) by Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), on the situation in the region. 

Note, the US is the penholder on South Sudan. The UK is the penholder on Sudan. Ecuador currently holds Security Council Presidency. The presidency of the Council is held by each of the members in turn for one month, following the English alphabetical order of the Member States names. Click here to see list for 2023 and 2024. France holds the presidency in Jan 2024.

 

View original: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k19/k19agdmbaa

Here is a full copy of Mr. Haysom's Briefing:

Statement by Mr. Nicholas Haysom
Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS
United Nations Security Council Briefing
14 December 2023

As delivered

Mr. President,

1. Thank you for the opportunity to brief this Council on the situation in South Sudan.

2. As we conclude the year, it is appropriate to take stock of the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, particularly as it relates to the milestone of elections, currently scheduled for December 2024, a process which would see South Sudan's transitional period brought to a close.

Update on implementation

3. With only 11 months remaining, the pace of overall implementation towards this objective has been uneven.

4. The Transitional Security Arrangements -- which are agreed to by the parties--remain significantly behind schedule. This is concerning because the Necessary Unified Forces are critical in providing a secure environment to protect civilians before, during and after elections. While recent actions have been taken, there are distinct challenges to the full deployment of the unified forces; chief among them, the distribution of salaries and equipment, and their operationalization under a single unified command especially the appointment of the middle ranks, agreement on which is yet to be achieved.

5. With regard to the permanent constitution making process, it is now 15 months behind the timeline set out in the roadmap and the Revitalised Agreement. The adoption of an amended constitution was agreed to by the parties as a prerequisite for the finalisation of the electoral legal framework and the subsequent holding of the elections. Unfortunately, work on the amendment of the constitution has not properly started although the National Constitutional Review Committee has at last been established.

6. I acknowledge the appointment of members of the National Election Commission, the Political Parties Council, and the National Constitution Review Commission. However, except in the case of the Political Parties Council, complaints have been raised by the opposition as to whether the composition of these bodies is in line with the Revitalised Agreement concerning the gender quota, and agreements on nominees as between the parties. This has led to controversy and the stalling of the swearing-in of the members of these two committees. It is now critical that these bodies are operationalised and resourced with the necessary funding to begin undertaking their considerable responsibilities.

7. In July, the Trilateral Mechanism that is the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU) and IGAD presented a list of 10 questions to be answered by the parties, to create clarity on the elections, including on such issues as the level at which elections will be held, the participation of refugees, and various mechanisms for administration of elections and handling of complaints. The questions also highlighted the importance of agreeing on a voter registration process, the census or any other acceptable source of population data. These questions have so far not been dealt with by the parties, nor an appropriate legal framework set up to resolve these issues.

8. To facilitate movement towards common ground amongst the parties on the proper preparations for the elections, UNMISS has convened Political Party Forums, engaged with Faith Based leaders, Civil Society organisation, IDPs, refugees, and other stakeholders. We have stressed that these decisions should be made in conformity with the peace agreement and in a manner that discourages unilateral decisions, encourages consensus and embodies constructive proposals on how to conduct credible elections by December 2024 in the face of missed timelines. And we have stressed that these decisions can only be made by the South Sudanese themselves.

Indispensable prerequisites

9. Comparative experience suggests that elections are a likely trigger for the relapse into violence in societies emerging from conflict unless adequate time, resources and confidence building measures are invested in their preparations: underscoring notably, the need for agreement amongst the contending parties. South Sudan faces a similar risk and requires the same investment to avoid conflict.

10. Member states have enquired of UNMISS as to whether the country can be considered capable of holding free, fair, credible, and especially peaceful elections. We have clearly stated that, as matters stand now, the country is not yet in a position to hold credible elections, a view shared by almost all key stakeholders across the political spectrum. The consequential question raised by this conclusion is what conditions and institutions must be in place for such an election to be possible and by when will those conditions have to be in place for the elections to meet the December 2024 deadline.

11. The necessary conditions which must be met for these elections are identified in the Secretary General's report before you and include: that a new 'permanent' constitutional framework be in place; that properly trained and equipped unified forces are deployed; that an operational election security plan has been formulated; a clear electoral framework be agreed upon; election institutions and mechanisms be in place; and voter registration modalities and electoral dispute resolution mechanisms are agreed through consensus. There must be an agreed code of conduct for political parties, establishing the parameters of acceptable political behaviour and which allows for a more open political and civic space than the one that currently exists in the country.

12. A "critical mass" of these pre-requisites is necessary for creating the conditions for the conduct of elections that are not only free and fair but also deemed credible and acceptable to South Sudanese citizens. The process of agreeing on these conditions must be one that builds trust in the electoral institutions and acceptance of the outcomes by all participants.

13. Based on consultations with electoral experts, it is our considered view that the critical mass of the pre-requisites outlined above must be in place by April 2024 if peaceful elections are to be conducted by December 2024.

UN Electoral Support

14. We believe that with the necessary political will, a sense of urgency and compromise, the South Sudanese could indeed establish the conditions for elections in December 2024. In support of South Sudan's electoral efforts and as part of a first Phase of preparations, UNMISS is itself actively engaged in promoting an enabling environment for elections through repurposing its staff within existing resources. This involves providing capacity-building support to establish trusted electoral management bodies and a political environment encompassing the necessary political and civic space for a real competitive process.

15. Scaling up UN electoral assistance under Phase 2 would involve concrete logistical and similar support for the conduct of the actual elections; and it remains contingent upon the progress achieved on the pre-requisites by April 2024. This scaling up will, therefore, be also subject to the support of Member States and the consequent availability of necessary resources. While this does not preclude South Sudan opting to proceed with elections without these conditions in place, however, it does serve as a yardstick for the international community's support for an election which would be a nation building event rather than a divisive exercise.

Partnerships and Engagements

16. UNMISS recognises, Mr. President, that creating conditions for peaceful elections requires the support of the international community. For our part, this requires UNMISS to act in partnership with the Member States, the AU, IGAD, EU and the Troika. And in this regard, I have recently engaged with the governments of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda as well as the IGAD Secretariat and AU Peace and Security Council who have all confirmed an appreciation of the importance of preventing a relapse into violence and for the conduct of peaceful elections in South Sudan. The African Union Peace and Security Council has requested the Trilateral (that is the IGAD, AU and UNMISS) mechanism to jointly brief them on the constitution making process and the status of election preparation in February 2024.

17. I have similarly engaged with national stakeholders and can confirm that there is broad support for elections, but there is also apprehension and concern about the lack of professional preparations and consultations for such elections.

Protection of civilians

Mr. President,

18. The dire economic situation of the country and the resulting competition over diminishing resources at the subnational level, the influx of returnees from Sudan, climate shocks and a fragile political environment, suggests that elections in South Sudan would take place in an environment of elevated tensions. If these risks are not mitigated, then the threat to civilians remains real. UNMISS remains committed to the protection of civilians and prioritizes it as a key mandated task. The Mission is implementing proactive measures aimed at mitigating the risks of pre-electoral, electoral, and post-electoral violence, with a focus on maintaining a robust presence in potential hotspots through existing and new temporary operating bases, team sites, fortifying rapidly deployable reserves of peacekeepers, extensive patrolling, and building on our political and civil engagement at the community and national levels.

19. The humanitarian situation in the country has reached alarming proportions, where two-thirds of the population is now food insecure. Competing global priorities have negatively impacted international humanitarian assistance. This requires that South Sudanese leaders invest more resources towards humanitarian efforts to alleviate the suffering of their people. As of 12^th^ December, 434,000 people had crossed into South Sudan since the start of the Sudan conflict in mid-April, which means the humanitarian caseload in South Sudan is only growing.

20. South Sudan remains a dangerous place for our humanitarian partners to operate in and where many have made the ultimate sacrifice. I call on the Government of South Sudan to enable safe and unfettered humanitarian access throughout the country and hold to account perpetrators responsible for attacks against humanitarians and the looting of humanitarian aid destined for the most vulnerable.

21. It is now time for the government of South Sudan to take decisive actions to address these challenges and put in place conditions that not only lead to peaceful and credible elections but also deliver genuine peace dividends and stability after a vote.

22. Finally, 2024 is anticipated to be a difficult and challenging year for UNMISS, for South Sudan, its people and the region, UNMISS reiterates that it will discharge its mandate to the best of its ability.

I thank you.

View original: https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/statement-mr-nicholas-haysom-special-representative-secretary-general-and-head-unmiss-united-nations-security-council-briefing-14-december-2023

_____________

Related Reports

SC/15531 - Thursday, 14 December 2023

South Sudan Not Ready for Conducting Credible Elections, Special Representative Tells Security Council, Outlining Important Prerequisites to Be Met

https://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15531.doc.htm

What’s In Blue - Wednesday, 13 December 2023

South Sudan: Briefing and Consultations

https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2023/12/south-sudan-briefing-and-consultations-23.php

SG/SM/22083 - Wednesday, 13 December 2023

Secretary-General Reiterates United Nations Commitment towards Supporting Mediation Efforts of Its African Partners to Restore Peace in Sudan

https://press.un.org/en/2023/sgsm22083.doc.htm

END

Civil Front to Stop the War and Restore Democracy in Sudan concludes Addis meetings, contacts SLM-AW

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: The following report, written in Arabic, was sent to me today by a Sudanese man living and working in England, UK. As he is keen to see peace in Sudan I have used Google translate to document the report here in English. A report by Sudan Tribune, also copied here below, explains who is behind the 'Civil Front'. It is heartening to see former Prime Minister Hamdok's name cited in the Sudan Tribune's report. 

_________________________

Report from Al Taghyeer -  altaghyeer.info/en/
Dated 20 September 2023 - here is a full copy (using Google translate):

Civil Front concludes Addis meetings and takes steps to stop war in Sudan

The components of the Civil Front to Stop the War and Restore Democracy in Sudan agreed on the importance of strengthening the efforts of all forces calling for stopping the war and restoring democracy, and the need to coordinate between them as soon as possible.

Khartoum: Change

The Civil Front to Stop the War and Restore Democracy in Sudan concluded meetings of the Coordination and Communication Authority held on September 17 and 18 in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and issued a final statement on the deliberations and decisions.

According to the statement issued on Tuesday, the meeting stressed the need to redouble efforts to confront the plans of the remnants of the former regime calling for the continuation of the war, and discussed the importance of strengthening the efforts of all forces calling for stopping the war and restoring democracy and the need to coordinate between them as soon as possible.

He announced the formation of a committee to communicate with all democratic civil forces to accelerate these efforts, and the meeting adhered to the political vision of the components of the Civil Front.

"Change" publishes the text of the final statement:

Civil Front to Stop the War and Restore Democracy

Final communiqué of the meetings of the Coordination and Communication Authority

The meetings of the Coordination and Liaison Committee of the Civil Front to Stop the War and Restore Democracy, which lasted for two days (September 17 and 18), concluded in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, these meetings discussed the poor humanitarian situation caused by the war, and the political efforts exerted to work to stop it by building the broadest civil front of democratic forces opposed to it.

At the outset, the Civil Front paid tribute to those who lost their lives in this war, and expressed its full solidarity with the injured, displaced and refugee victims.

It declared its full condemnation of the gross violations of human rights, which varied between killings, occupation of homes and hospitals, looting of property, arrests, kidnappings, rape and many heinous crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces, as well as all violations of killing, aerial bombardment of civilians and arbitrary arrests by the armed forces, and called for a transparent investigation and accountability for all those involved.

The participants stressed the need to redouble efforts to confront the plans of the remnants of the former regime who call for the continuation of this war, use it to demonize the revolution and liquidate its forces, and spread hate speech and ethnic and regional division.

They also discussed the importance of strengthening the efforts made by all civil forces calling for stopping the war and restoring democracy, and stressed the need for coordination between them as soon as possible, and a committee was formed from all categories of the front to communicate with all civil democratic forces to accelerate these efforts and reach the widest civil front that works to end the war, and rebuild the state on the basis of the principles, values and goals of the glorious December revolution.

The meeting adhered to the political vision of the components of the Civil Front, which was contained in the founding statement of the Front on the twenty-seventh of last April, and work to develop it with the rest of the civil democratic forces in response to the new reality produced by the fifteenth of April war and its repercussions.

They agreed to establish a national mechanism for reparations and compensation, including the relevant authorities, to account for all the damage caused by the war, and stressed that any political solution to end it must not fall under the principle of fair and equitable compensation for all those who have been harmed and harmed by this damned war.

They also appreciated the efforts of humanitarian aid workers from local, regional and international institutions and organizations, especially the emergency rooms in Khartoum State and all cities and regions of Sudan, who work in very complex conditions, stressing the need to ensure the delivery of aid to those who deserve it.

In conclusion, it was agreed to activate the organizational, media and humanitarian work to achieve the goals of the interim and future front.

Coordination and Communication Authority

19 September 2023

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

View original: https://www.altaghyeer.info/ar/2023/09/19/الجبهة-المدنية-تختتم-اجتماعات-أديس/

___________________________

Related report

From Sudan Tribune.com

Dated Thursday, 13 October 2023 - here is a full copy:

Sudanese anti-war civilian forces reach out to Darfur holdout group

Image: FFC leaders meet Ugandan president on July 3, 2023

October 13, 2023 (ADDIS ABABA) – A prominent leader of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) revealed that the Civil Front to Stop the War and Restore Democracy forces have been in contact with the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Nur (SLM-AW) to join this collective effort.

Since July of this year, political forces, civil society groups, and some armed movements that are parties to the Juba peace agreement have been engaged in discussions to establish a broad civil coalition. The purpose of this coalition is to exert pressure on the warring factions to cease hostilities and revive the path toward democratic transition.

Nur al-Din Babikir, a member of the FFC leadership and spokesman for the Sudanese Congress Party, told Sudan Tribune that there is coordination between the Front, the SLM-AW, the initiatives led by former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and former Sudanese ambassador to the United States Nur al-Din Satti. He added that the purpose of these consultations is to convene a founding conference for the Civil Front.

Babikir stated that the conference’s agenda is centred on halting the conflict by forming a coalition capable of compelling both sides involved in the conflict to cease hostilities. Subsequently, this would pave the way for a political process to restore the civilian-led democratic transition through an agreed project.

He further confirmed that the FFC also consults with IGAD, neighbouring countries, and other regional actors to unify their initiatives. He stressed that these efforts have made some progress towards achieving a ceasefire despite the lack of commitment from both parties.

Also, he announced that the United States and Saudi Arabia are holding consultations to resume the Jeddah process to end the war in the near future, starting with the cessation of hostilities, the establishment of humanitarian corridors to provide aid to the war-afflicted civilians, and a subsequent political process that ends the war.

He pointed out that the Front includes many Sudanese figures representing various bodies, the FFC, and nine coordination committees for Resistance Committees, civil society initiatives, and armed groups.

The SLM-AW rejects the Juba Peace Agreement and refuses to participate in any peace process to end the war in Darfur. In return, the Movement calls for a national conference to discuss issues of identity, wealth distribution, and justice and social justice in the country.

It’s worth noting that the SLM-AW has rejected the Juba Peace Agreement and remains unwilling to participate in any peace process to end the conflict in Darfur. Instead, the group calls for a national conference to address matters related to identity, wealth distribution, justice, and social justice within the country.

The FFC-initiated civilian front has not announced any contact with the Democratic Bloc groups, which includes the SLM led by Minni Minnawi and the Justice and Equality Movement of Gibril Ibrahim.

A severe conflict has been ongoing between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces since April 15 of this year. This has been accompanied by grave violations against civilians, including killings, sexual violence, arrests, forced displacement, and military airstrikes. (ST)

View original: https://sudantribune.com/article278299/

[Ends]