South Sudan on brink of civil war, UN's Haysom warns

“The time for action is now because the alternative is too terrible to contemplate” -Nicholas Haysom, UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)

Read more in report from UN News

By Vibhu Mishra

Dated Monday, 24 March 2025 - full copy:

South Sudan on the brink of civil war, top UN official warns

© WFP/Peter Louis Displaced people in Renk County, Upper Nile State, South Sudan. (file)

South Sudan is teetering on the brink of a return to full-scale civil war as violence escalates and political tensions deepen, the head of the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS) warned on Monday.

Briefing journalists at UN Headquarters in New York via videolink from Juba, Nicholas Haysom described indiscriminate attacks on civilians, mass displacement and rising ethnic tensions.

He urged all parties to pull back from the brink and commit to peace before the country plunges into another devastating conflict.

“A conflict would erase all the hard-won gains made since the 2018 peace deal was signed. It would devastate not only South Sudan but the entire region, which simply cannot afford another war,” he warned.

Fragile peace at risk

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, but the world’s youngest nation has been plagued by conflict and instability ever since.

A civil war erupted in 2013 between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with his former deputy, Riek Machar. The war – marked by ethnic violence, mass atrocities and widespread humanitarian crisis – lasted until a fragile peace deal was signed in 2018.

Though the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement brought a degree of stability, delays in its implementation and continued political rivalries have kept tensions simmering.

Mounting violence

The latest wave of violence erupted on 4 March when the so-called White Army – a youth militia – overran South Sudanese army barracks in Nasir, Upper Nile province.

In response, Government forces launched retaliatory aerial bombardments on civilian areas, using barrel bombs that allegedly contained highly flammable accelerants.

“These indiscriminate attacks on civilians are causing significant casualties and horrific injuries, especially burns, including to women and children,” Mr. Haysom said, adding that at least 63,000 people have fled the area.

Reports indicate that both the White Army and national forces are mobilising for further confrontations, with allegations of child recruitment into armed groups.

The deployment of foreign forces at the request of the Government has further heightened tensions, evoking painful memories of the country’s previous civil wars.

Rising ethnic tensions

Political tensions are also escalating, Mr. Haysom continued.

Senior officials affiliated with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) – the main rival militia – have been removed, replaced, detained, or forced into hiding.

There is also an increasing use of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, which is fuelling ethnic divisions and fear, making reconciliation even more difficult.

“Given this grim situation, we are left with no other conclusion, but to assess that South Sudan is teetering on the edge of a relapse into civil war,” the senior UN official warned.

Diplomatic efforts stalled

Mr. Haysom further reported that UNMISS has engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts alongside regional and international partners, including the African Union (AU), the regional development bloc, IGAD, and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission.

However, a scheduled high-level visit by IGAD foreign ministers to Juba, aimed at mediating between the parties, was abruptly postponed by the South Sudanese government without explanation.

“This is a disappointing development at a time when diplomatic outreach is more important than ever,” he said.

Recommit to peace

Mr. Haysom urged South Sudan’s leaders to immediately recommit to the 2018 peace deal, respect the ceasefire, release detained officials and resolve disputes through dialogue rather than military confrontation.

He also called for President Kiir and First Vice President Machar to meet and publicly reaffirm their joint commitment to peace.

“The time for action is now because the alternative is too terrible to contemplate.”

WATCH VIDEO: Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for South Sudan speaks to the press via videolink.

View original: Here

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South Sudan: UN report finds all sides of conflict guilty of starving their citizens, govt embezzled funds. Govt struggles to merge soldiers under peace deal

On Thursday 27 February 2020, the same day the rival leaders agreed to proceed with implementing the peace deal, the UN released a new report. It finds that all sides of the conflict were guilty of starving their citizens and that the government had embezzled funds that could have gone toward humanitarian support. Read more.

Photo: A picture made available on 18 October 2016 shows Sudan People's Liberation Army soldiers (SPLA) mounting an armored personnel carrier (APC) during a military operation against Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) in Eastern Nile State, South Sudan, 16 October 2016.

South Sudan struggles to merge armed forces under peace deal

Report from New Europe - www.neweurope.eu

By ELENA PAVLOVSKA

Dated Saturday 29 February 2020, 00:23

South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar agreed to form a unity government last Saturday, paving the way towards ending more than six years of war that has left at least 400,000 dead and forced 4 million from their homes.

As part of the compromise, the country’s parliament endorsed the incorporation of the 10 states and three administrative areas into the constitution.

However, key issues of the 2018 power-sharing deal are yet to be completed. One of the biggest challenges that remain is merging of both government and opposition forces into the country’s military.

The soldiers come from different sides, and are not in equal numbers, as they are supposed to be according to the deal. The opposition says it is difficult to transport soldiers from their areas to the training centers, which are in poor conditions. The army also complains it has only received a small part of the funds for the training.

On Thursday, the same day the rival leaders agreed to proceed with implementing the peace deal, the UN released a new report. It finds that all sides of the conflict were guilty of starving their citizens and that the government had embezzled funds that could have gone toward humanitarian support.

View Original: https://www.neweurope.eu/article/south-sudan-struggles-to-merge-armed-forces-under-peace-deal/

South Sudan: Machar 'feels like a prisoner' after deal - South Sudan split over who takes what ministry

Machar 'feels like a prisoner' after deal, says wife
Report from BBC News, Kampala

By Catherine Byaruhanga

Dated Wednesday 26 February 2020

Photo: President Salva Kiir (L) and his deputy Riek Machar have formed the unity government to end a long-running civil war

The wife of South Sudan’s newly sworn-in Vice-President Riek Machar says her husband feels "he is a prisoner".

Angelina Teny, who is herself a former government minister, told the BBC that restrictions put in place by the regional body, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad), on her husband’s travel within and outside South Sudan were still in place.

The restrictions were intended to stop the fighting and get Mr Machar to negotiate a peace deal. They also restrained him from speaking to the public or media.

Igad's Special Envoy for South Sudan Ismail Wais said the restrictions elapsed when Mr Machar took up his new role in the new unity government [ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-51562367 ] on Saturday.

But Ms Teny said Mr Machar's group had not received official communication to that effect. She said they were concerned that he could not fulfill his duties.

According to Ms Teny, her husband cannot freely travel around South Sudan and meet his supporters.

However, a spokesperson for President Salva Kiir denied the claim, adding that Mr Machar should hold the public meetings with the president as a show of unity.

View Original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c302m85q54lt/south-sudan
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South Sudan split over who takes what ministry

Report from The East African - www.theeastafrican.co.ke

By Fred Oluoch

Dated Sunday 01 March 2020

The formation of the transitional government in South Sudan could be unduly delayed following disagreements over portfolio balance between President Salva Kiir and first Vice President Riek Machar.

Meetings in Juba on February 27 could not reach a compromise after Dr Machar’s Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) complained that President Kiir’s side has not only taken all the key ministries, but has been offering ministries to other signatories without consultations.

President Kiir’s side wants to retain the Finance, Petroleum, Defence and Interior, and Foreign Affairs dockets.

James Oryema, the SPLM-IO representative in Kenya said that his movement is going to hold on to their position and that the formation of the transitional government of national unity (TGoNU) could take some time if the other side remains intransigence.

“We are demanding that four ministries be divided into two while claiming the Petroleum and Interior dockets then we can select the rest of the remaining seven ministries. These were the ministries we had in 2016,” said Mr Oryema.

According to the September 2018 agreement, the country is supposed to have 35 Cabinet ministers, with President Kiir’s SPLM in government getting 20 ministries, SPLM-IO nine ministries; South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) three; and Former Detainees two and Other Political Parties one ministry each.

View Original: https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/South-Sudan-split-over-who-takes-what-ministry/4552908-5473706-mgdj38z/index.html