Troika laments Developments in South Sudan, Warns of Repercussions on Neighbors

Sudanhorizon – Agencies

In a joint statement issued Thursday evening on the situation in South Sudan, the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway have declared that despite the support of the international community, the optimism and relief that followed the signing of the revitalized agreement between the South Sudanese parties, were misplaced. According to the agreement, President Kiir was supposed to lead a transitional government of national unity.

The statement added, “When the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) was signed just over seven years ago, there was hope that it would bring peace after the early years of the country’s independence were marred by the ravages of conflict, including brutal violence against civilians.”

The three countries known as the Troika complained that “the agreement has not lived up to its name, as the principles of power-sharing have been violated and no tangible progress has been made toward its implementation. Public resources continue to be wasted: public sector salaries are not being paid, and international donors are spending far more on providing basic services to the people of South Sudan than the transitional government itself.”

The statement noted that “at independence, oil revenues made South Sudan a middle-income country; now it is one of the poorest and most corrupt nations in the world. The leadership continues to make unilateral, destabilizing cabinet reshuffles instead of focusing on running the country or preparing for elections.”

The statement added that even more alarming is “the return of large-scale conflict across the country. It would be tragic for the people of South Sudan to see a return to the levels of violence we witnessed in 2013 and 2016. It would also represent a serious setback for South Sudan’s neighbors, who are already suffering from the destabilizing impact of the conflict in Sudan.”

The statement appealed to the leadership in South Sudan, saying, “for the sake of the people of South Sudan and for regional stability, South Sudanese leaders must urgently change course. All parties, particularly the SPLM-Independence Front and the SPLM-Opposition, must cease armed attacks and immediately return to a nationwide ceasefire and to a sustained leadership-level dialogue.”

The statement stressed that “the Transitional Government must stop its aerial attacks on its own citizens, release political prisoners, and use public revenues to pay the salaries of public sector employees and fund health, education, and other essential services for its citizens.” It added that Transitional Government officials at all levels must cease interfering with the operations of humanitarian aid organizations and regional and international organizations. The Transitional Government’s obstruction of the departure and movement of UN peacekeepers within the country is a blatant example of this behavior and must stop immediately.

The group concluded its statement with an appeal to “all friends and partners of South Sudan, particularly its neighbors who would be severely affected by the prospect of a renewed large-scale conflict, to unite their message: Enough! South Sudan’s leaders must end the current conflict and focus on restoring the trust of their people and the international community through concrete actions. If they do so, they will attract the world’s support, investment, and respect.”

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