S/PV.8689 Security Council

In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. David Shearer, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, to participate in this meeting. Special Representative Shearer is joining us via video-teleconference from Auckland, New Zealand. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2019/936, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in South Sudan. At this meeting, the Security Council will hear briefings by Special Representative Shearer and by Ambassador Wronecka, Permanent Representative of Poland in her capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan. I now give the floor to Mr. Shearer. Mr. Shearer: It is a pleasure to participate in today’s meeting. As I am speaking to the Council today, one third of the 100-day extension of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan has already passed. While this second extension has eased anxiety at least temporarily, because it maintains the ceasefire, it has also disillusioned many citizens who feel that more progress should have been made. Politics, after all, is all about choices. By choosing to sign the peace agreement last year, the parties kick- started a transformative process that has already paid dividends. The country has witnessed a steep decrease in civilian injuries, abductions and casualties. While sexual violence remains a terrible problem, the 295 victims recorded in 2019 are substantially fewer than the almost 1,300 reported in 2018. Improvements in security have also prompted at least 645,000 people to return to their homes. But the choice to twice delay a transitional Government has dampened initial hopes, eroded some trust and confidence and caused people to suspect that the political will between the parties is waning. The choices that South Sudan’s leaders make now will determine that country’s future for generations to come. There has been no shortage of outside support to encourage South Sudan to head along the right path. In the past three months, Uganda has hosted and followed up directly on a tripartite meeting, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has met several times and there have been efforts by IGAD’s Special Envoy for South Sudan and visits by South Africa’s Deputy President. The Sudan itself has been engaged in the most recent discussions. The African Union has kept the country under constant review. Of course, the full 15 members of the Security Council visited Juba to engage and hear directly from the parties. What has been most striking is that there has been a unity of purpose among the international partners, and I am confident that will continue. The international engagement, together with Mr. Riek Machar’s presence in Juba over the past week and during face-to-face meetings with President Kiir, has led to positive statements from both leaders in the past 24 hours. There can always be reasons for further delay. After all, there is no definitive or objective point where progress on the peace process can be agreed to be completely sufficient. But if the parties want to fully implement the agreement and form a new Government at the end of this 100-day period, they certainly can. It comes down to political will — the willingness to make concessions and to ultimately sit around a table within a transitional Government and make it work for the people. Again, it is about choices. The first test of whether that political will exists will be when the 50- day review is held in early January. At that point, there has to be measurable progress in several areas. The first area is the reunification of forces. It is unlikely that everything will be completed before the deadline. Today’s commitments by the two leaders have given further impetus to the process, but substantial progress will give all parties the trust and confidence they need to continue the reintegration and reunification process within a transitional Government. More than 76,000 have already gathered at cantonment sites, and careful vetting is needed to verify their status as ex-combatants. Another 12,000 are registered in Government barracks. So far, however, supplies to cantonment sites have been patchy, and in many places combatants have abandoned them to seek food, shelter and a means of income to support themselves elsewhere. Inevitably, the concentration of forces anywhere can also create uncertainty and suspicion that each side is mobilizing forces for war rather than preparing for peace. The only way to overcome that suspicion is to accelerate training and reunification in order to maintain trust and confidence. The job of the National Pre-Transitional Committee is to ensure that resources get where they are needed. We in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan have signalled our willingness to provide additional logistical support on request. Last week, it was reported that Government funding has been distributed to various security committees, which is welcome. However, the exact amounts delivered and how they will be spent remains opaque. Transparency is needed to quell that suspicion, a point that has been made by the African Union, IGAD and the United Nations. This could take the form of a trust fund or a similar mechanism to provide independent oversight of finances. The agreement between the Government and the opposition reached in the past few hours to establish such a mechanism is encouraging, and the United Nations will offer its support to establish it, as it has done in other conflict settings internationally. Mr. Riek Machar’s presence in Juba over the past five days for face-to-face discussions has been very encouraging and is essential to resolving differences, as we have all noted. As yet, however, there is no resolution of his uncertain status and he has yet to be given a South Sudanese passport. However, where the sides do remain apart is on the second critical issue, that of states and boundaries, despite the very determined efforts by South Africa’s Deputy President David Mabuza. This issue has the potential to anger some and gratify others, depending on the outcome and the side each party sits on. Because power and access to resources are heavily vested in the states and in turn often linked to ethnic groups, this particular issue is politically charged. Resolving it will require a high degree of sensitivity, leadership and a willingness to examine contentious areas with open minds and to accept a solution that none of the parties may consider ideal. It needs courage. Deferring this issue to a referendum will cost millions of dollars and present immense logistical difficulties, especially with one third of the South Sudanese population displaced. It also runs the risk of widening ethnic divisions. In the past few weeks I have talked to many people about the peace process during recent visits to the field. Whether it is in Koch, Lankien, Pibor, Bentiu or Bor, the message is remarkably similar. No one I spoke to wants to go back to war. One of those people is Bul Deng, a 24-year-old man who returned to Lankien after six years in a United Nations protection-of- civilians site because he believes peace is coming. He told me that he wants people to be a peaceful family and to live freely across the whole land, that peace is what everybody wants. However, some people admit privately that they would take up arms if ordered to by their leaders. The good news so far is that the ceasefire has been largely respected. But we must remain vigilant. A recent spike of intercommunal violence and clashes has raised tensions and risks spilling over into more serious political violence. Fighting around Maiwut, in the north-east of the country, for example, turned overtly political when the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition and Government forces backed different sides. Meanwhile, improvements to the humanitarian situation have been partly negated by flooding, which has affected 900,000 people, washed away crops, destroyed homes and contaminated water supplies. To their credit, the state Governments, humanitarian agencies and donors have responded quickly. The World Food Programme’s quick response used supplies that were pre-positioned for 2020, but those stocks will need to be urgently replenished and transported throughout the country. And with an estimated 72,000 metric tons of cereals lost, in addition to animals that have died and pasture that has been destroyed, the fear is about longer-term food needs. The flooding compounded pre-existing needs. The recently released humanitarian response plan for 2020 aims to meet the needs of 5.6 million people at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion. Sadly, the brief respite of the accompanying peace has been negated largely because of these natural calamities, and concerns about hunger in many parts of the country are again rising. In just two months, leaders will choose whether to form a transitional Government. Preservation of the ceasefire, as I said, is absolutely critical. Those choices will coincide with the dry season, a period historically associated with increased fighting. The joint meetings in recent days between President Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar are encouraging, with both sides recommitting to the peace process. That has restored some of the optimism and momentum that were lost with the delays in the peace agreement. All parties now need to choose to follow up on their words, and their international partners should remain resolute in their support, as I am sure they will. The parties should move towards a transitional Government that can start planning for South Sudan’s long-term future and ultimately for elections in the next three years.

I now give the floor to the representative of Poland.

In my capacity as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan, I have the honour to brief the members of the Council on developments in the Committee since my previous briefing in this Chamber on 18 December last year (see S.PV.8431). I intend to focus first on the visit I made to South Sudan and the region in October and secondly to elaborate on the interim report of the Panel of Experts, which was submitted to the Committee on 1 November and published as a document of the Council on 22 November. On 18 November the Committee had an opportunity to engage with the Coordinator of the Panel on the findings and recommendations of the interim report, and it subsequently considered various follow- up actions aimed at improving the implementation and effectiveness of the regime. Lastly, I will provide a brief overview of developments in the Committee since my briefing last year. From 6 to 15 October, I had the opportunity to visit, in chronological order, South Sudan, Uganda, the Sudan and Ethiopia. The purpose of my visit was to obtain first-hand accounts of the implementation of the measures imposed by resolution 2206 (2015), expanded by resolution 2428 (2018) and most recently extended by resolution 2471 (2019); to strengthen dialogue and engagement with the States concerned regarding the implementation of the measures, including any needs for assistance; and to inform the Council’s review of the mandate, pursuant to paragraph 3 of resolution 2471 (2019). It is important to note that my visit took place roughly one month prior to the 12 November deadline for the formation of the Transitional Government in pursuance of the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, following which the parties decided to extend the transitional period by 100 days. Before turning to the actions that the Committee has taken in response to the observations made during my visit, I would like to highlight the key issues observed and raised during the trip. On the political front, based on the discussions held during my visit, I continue to believe that the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement, particularly the progress on the transitional security arrangements, remains crucial to peace and stability in South Sudan. I continue to be concerned about the dire humanitarian and human rights situation in South Sudan, in which the civilian population, particularly women and children, have been pillaged by men in uniform. Sadly, the abuse and recruitment of children, and acts of sexual violence directed against women and girls in particular, have been a continuing motif in this terrible civil war. In that connection, the lack of accountability is of particular concern. During my visit to Juba, Bentiu and Yei, I noticed that some interlocutors held the view that the communities in South Sudan did not fully understand the sanctions regime. I remain concerned about the fact that the region is not taking concrete actions regarding the implementation of the sanctions regimes, and I encourage neighbouring States to conduct inspections in accordance with paragraph 8 of resolution 2428 (2018) in connection with the arms embargo. It is also lamentable that sanctioned individuals continue to travel unimpeded throughout the region, sometimes with passports from the region, and that in only a few cases have Member States transmitted travel-ban exemption requests to the Committee. As a result of my visit, the Committee agreed on several proposed actions based on my recommendations, which included transmitting follow-up letters expressing appreciation for the hospitality extended and reiterating the importance of the effective implementation of the measures and the need for more support for the Panel of Experts. It was also agreed that the Committee would organize an open briefing where the views of my recent visit could be expressed. The Committee also decided to organize a briefing by the Chair of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development on the status of the peace process in South Sudan. And, finally, the Committee is considering transmitting a note verbale to all Member States on the measures in place concerning South Sudan and reminding them of their obligations. Let me now turn to the second focus of my briefing, the interim report of the Panel of Experts submitted pursuant to resolution 2471 (2019) and, more specifically, the actions taken by the Committee in response to the Panel’s findings and recommendations. I will not repeat the contents of the interim report in detail, given that it was transmitted to the members of the Council and is now available as document S/2019/897. I will simply remind the Council that the Panel of Experts has presented its findings with regard to the political and security situation in South Sudan, violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, the illicit exploitation of natural resources, the implementation of the arms embargo, including the provisions related to the exemptions to the regime, and the implementation of the targeted financial and travel-ban measures. In that context, I would like to reiterate the importance of ensuring that the States of the region, particularly South Sudan’s neighbours, continue strengthening their cooperation with the Panel of Experts and the Sanctions Committee. For the third and final element of my statement today, I would like to provide a brief overview of the Committee’s work since my briefing to the Council last December. To date, the Committee has met on five occasions in informal consultations, and has held one joint informal consultation with the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. On 8 February, the Committee heard a presentation by the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts on South Sudan, open to Member States, concerning the Panel’s interim report, document S/2018/1049, submitted pursuant to paragraph 19 (e) of resolution 2428 (2018). During the informal consultations held on 29 March, the Committee heard a presentation by the Panel of Experts on South Sudan concerning the Panel’s final report, S/2019/301, submitted pursuant to paragraph 19 (e) of resolution 2428 (2018), and discussed its recommendations. During the joint informal consultations of the Security Council Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1591 (2005), 1970 (2011) and 2206 (2015), concerning the Sudan, Libya and South Sudan, respectively, held on 21 June, the Panels of Experts on the Sudan, Libya and South Sudan delivered briefings and the Committees held an interactive discussion on the importance of using a common approach in addressing the presence of Darfuri armed groups in Libya and South Sudan and preventing those groups from engaging in destabilizing activities. The Committee heard a presentation on 9 August by the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts on work plan of the Panel, the mandate of which was renewed pursuant to resolution 2471 (2019). The Committee received a briefing on 21 August by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. During the informal consultations held on 18 November, the Committee heard a presentation by the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts on the Panel’s interim report (see S/2019/897), submitted pursuant to paragraph 3 of resolution 2471 (2019), and also discussed the findings and recommendations contained in the report of my visit to South Sudan, Uganda, the Sudan and Ethiopia from 6 to 15 October. Finally, since my previous report to the Council, the Committee received four requests for exemptions to the arms embargo, all of which were granted. No exemption requests were received concerning the travel-ban measures. I would like to reiterate my call to all Member States to increase their engagement with the Committee, seek clarifications on the measures and related exemption procedures and submit requests for exemptions to the arms embargo, the travel ban and the assets freeze.

I thank Ambassador Wronecka for her briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the United States. I thank Special Representative Shearer and Ambassador Wronecka for their briefings. Allow me to congratulate Ambassador Wronecka and her team for their leadership of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015), concerning South Sudan, over the past two years. Their expertise and dedication have been a great help to the Security Council. As I have said before, this month is about a clear- eyed assessment of Security Council portfolios. Let me therefore be clear: the United States and the international community are losing confidence that South Sudan’s leaders have the will to guide their country to genuine peace and security. We are losing confidence that they share the best interests of their people, who are calling for peace amid a devastating conflict-induced humanitarian crisis. The Council visited Juba to support the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, but South Sudan’s leaders blamed each other for hindering progress and failed to publicly affirm their commitment to the ceasefire. The parties agreed to again extend the pre-transitional phase of the peace agreement, but in the months since progress has been limited. While the parties have committed to security arrangements and the unification of the military, there are credible reports of recruitment by the Government and the opposition. Civilian buildings remain occupied primarily by Government forces. Juba remains militarized. In response to the call for consultations on the number of states and their boundaries, the Government has flatly refused to compromise. In response to calls for accountability, the Government promotes and reappoints officials accused of serious human rights abuses, and armed forces continue to conduct egregious acts of sexual and gender-based violence, including violations against children. In response to calls for transparent funding for the peace agreement, financial opacity reigns and expert advice is ignored. South Sudan’s legislature recently approved a budget that could allow a higher expenditure on health-care alliances for members of Parliament than the health- care budget for the entire country. Despite provisions to ensure the full participation of women in the formation of a transitional Government, the parties continue to prevent women from effectively and meaningfully participating in the peace process, and the ability of humanitarian actors to reach those in need is increasingly limited. Their safety is threatened, and bureaucratic impediments remain in place, all at a time when massive flooding is compounding food insecurity. That lack of progress is nearly comprehensive. However, South Sudan’s leaders can still form an inclusive transitional Government by the end of the 100-day extension. We note today’s statement from South Sudan’s leaders recommitting to form a unity Government by mid-February. We and the people of South Sudan look forward to such statements translating into tangible results. If implemented in full, the current agreement can provide the peace and stability for which the people of South Sudan have so clearly called. Regional engagement will also be essential. I want to recognize the efforts of South Africa, working in collaboration with the Special Envoys of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and Kenya, as well as the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, to convene the parties over the issue of the number and boundaries of states. Nevertheless, for real progress, Member States in the region must also hold South Sudan’s leaders accountable for failing to take further steps towards peace. After all, the entire region will suffer if the current process collapses. Silencing the guns in South Sudan will take more than lofty rhetoric. Moreover, violence in the Equatorias, Upper Nile and the Lakes regions demonstrates the continued need for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to protect civilians and undertake patrols in all areas of the country. The parties must grant UNMISS and humanitarian agencies full access without delay. Along with easy access to weapons and continued violence, the willingness of armed groups and security forces to injure, and even kill, civilians justifies both a robust arms embargo and a sanctions regime targeting actors and entities that threaten peace and stability in South Sudan. If South Sudan’s leaders cannot implement basic provisions of their own agreement, the Council should consider a stronger and expanded sanctions regime. Indeed, the threat of sanctions and their implementation appear to be among the only actions that convince the parties to make progress. While we are focused this month on the Council’s credibility, today it is the leaders of South Sudan whose credibility is on the line  — the credibility of their political will and this peace process. At this time, the United States offers its full support to the people of South Sudan. We hope that the country’s leaders do not let them down. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements.

I deliver this statement on behalf of the African countries on the Security Council, namely, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire. At the outset, let me thank you, Madam President, for convening this meeting. I would also like to express our gratitude to our briefers today. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the Secretary- General for his report (S/2019/936) and welcome his observations. We also recognize the tireless efforts of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan under the able leadership of Special Representative of the Secretary-General David Shearer to assist in forging peace and stability in South Sudan. The Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan continues to be the beacon of hope and the rudder that will continue to aid in rebuilding South Sudan and bring about the peace and stability that has eluded the country for decades. In that regard, the extension of the pre-transitional period for an additional 100 days is a critical lifeline to ensure an enabling environment to further address the contentious issues, which, among others, include the security arrangements and the state and boundary issues, which are crucial components to the fulfilment of the Revitalized Agreement. We encourage the parties to continue dialogue through peaceful means, utilizing the frameworks of the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to bridge their divergent views. Similarly, we urge the international community to continue lending its support to the parties at this critical juncture. Furthermore, we particularly call on President Salva Kiir and Mr. Riek Machar to continue their efforts in forging collegial relations and rebuilding trust so as to help to unify the country. Similarly, we urge the Government of South Sudan and IGAD to address the final status of Mr. Riek Machar in order to facilitate his full and effective involvement in moving forward with the peace process. Through progress in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement, we are encouraged by the continued maintenance of the cessation of hostilities. We call on all parties to continue on that trajectory and to place primacy on the lives of the South Sudanese people. Consequently, we call on all groups to join the political process and, in that regard, request IGAD to pursue its efforts in engaging Thomas Cirillo and Paul Malong to join the Revitalized Agreement. Furthermore, we welcome the Government’s intention to further disburse $40 million for the implementation of the Agreement. That is of paramount importance and it is particularly urgent that those funds be disseminated in a prompt manner in order to avoid any further delays in the implementation. We encourage the Government to continue its efforts to address the grave challenges of conflict-related sexual violence and all human rights violations and to hold perpetrators accountable. In addition, we continue to be concerned about the dire humanitarian situation, whose magnitude continues to dwarf the progress that has been made. We therefore call on all parties to prioritize human needs and on the international community to continue to provide assistance to the most vulnerable. In conclusion, we would like to express our appreciation to the countries of the region for their support to the South Sudanese peace process. We urge them to redouble their efforts in this extended period to further bring all the parties together. We all understand the ramifications of the failure of the peace process and, as such, we should closely guard against any reversal of its progress. The people of South Sudan deeply yearn for peace, stability and development to rebuild their lives.

At the outset, let me thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General David Shearer and Ambassador Wronecka for their insightful briefings. I will first say a few words on the peace process, which clearly remains at an extremely critical juncture, as we have heard once again from Special Representative Shearer. While it is positive that the ceasefire has for the most part been respected, there are many outstanding critical tasks that need to be implemented. Those tasks, which are stipulated in the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, must be implemented in order to overcome the lack of progress. We fully agree with the Secretary-General’s assessment that now is the time to show political will during the 100-day extension period to form a transitional Government. We welcome the repeated personal meetings between President Kiir and Mr. Riek Machar and commend and take note of the statements recently issued by the opposition and the Government, as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Shearer mentioned. However, at the same time, we see the need for concrete progress to be made on the implementation of the peace agreement, especially regarding the still unresolved substantive issues. We urge the parties to address key questions such as security arrangements, establishing the security services and, in particular, the number and boundaries of states. From our point of view, it is important not to lose the momentum but, ultimately, substance and inclusiveness are just as crucial to the sustainability of the peace process. As the representative of South Africa has just said, we also see that the regional actors remain absolutely crucial for making progress on these issues. It is essential that the pressure of the region on the parties to the conflict be maintained. We therefore very much welcome the fact that the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and, in particular, the Sudan and Uganda as guarantors of the peace agreement successfully mediated reaching a consensus among the parties as to how to continue the implementation of the peace agreement. The region, particularly IGAD and the African Union must remain committed, exert pressure on all sides and support the pursuit of solutions based on consensus between the parties. We would also encourage IGAD to share its 50-day interim report and its recommendations with the Security Council in due course. With regard to German activities, very briefly, Germany has just made an additional contribution of ‎€5 million to the reconciliation, stabilization and resilience trust fund established by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations country team, which supports community- based programmes that address underlying causes of conflict and provide socioeconomic incentives for peace. We certainly encourage others to join in that concrete peacebuilding effort. Turning to the humanitarian and the human rights situation, improving the situation of the civilian population remains our main priority, in particular unimpeded access for humanitarian actors and UNMISS and a tangible improvement in the human rights situation. It is a truism but the attacks on humanitarian workers must end immediately. We are also extremely concerned by reports of new recruitments, including of child soldiers, as well as reports of soldiers leaving cantonment sites due to the lack of food and resources. Measures to prevent and deter violence against civilians must be implemented. In addition, we join the call made by the Secretary- General for all parties to address the unacceptable levels of sexual and gender-based violence and hold accountable those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and human rights. That is a key responsibility of the South Sudanese Government, which must build on the steps taken, with the support of UNMISS, regarding mobile courts and take measures to fully establish transitional justice, as stipulated in the Revitalized Peace Agreement. I would also like to highlight that sanctions against perpetrators are at the Council’s disposal, and we should use them, where appropriate, in line with resolution 2467 (2019). Before I conclude, I will say a few words about the sanctions. We would first of all like to commend the Panel of Experts for its invaluable work and encourage it to pursue its investigation into breaches of the arms embargo and gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. The successful implementation of the sanctions regime clearly depends on close cooperation with countries of the region. We therefore call for coherence and coordination among all regional and international actors. The international community must send the signal that continuing gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including sexual and gender-based violence, are unacceptable. In conclusion, let me thank Ambassador Wronecka for her tireless efforts as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan and for her dedication to improving the situation of the people of South Sudan.

I wish to begin by thanking Mr. Shearer, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan, for his briefing and particularly for his commitment and that of his team on the ground. I also thank Ambassador Wronecka for her briefing and her work as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015), concerning South Sudan. There is an urgent need to form a transitional Government. The postponement from 7 November to 20 February must be the last. It is indeed essential to stay the course set out under the Revitalized Peace Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan. That is our only option. The announcement made this morning must therefore be acted upon. France calls on the South Sudanese Government and the opposition to use the next 65 days to create the conditions necessary for the formation of a Government of national unity. The tasks to be completed are known. Some can be achieved immediately. In that regard, we are pleased that the $40 million required to implement the agreement have been provided to the National Pre-transitional Committee. It is now necessary to expedite the practical implementation of those funds while ensuring accountability for the expenditure. The Government must also issue a passport to Riek Machar and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development must clarify his status and guarantee him freedom of movement. France encourages the parties to show political will and not to allow certain issues to delay the formation of the Government of national unity. We are aware that the issue of internal borders lies at the heart of the conflict. That issue may not be resolved definitively in the immediate future. In the short term, it is important that the parties demonstrate a spirit of compromise and agree at least on the number of states and a negotiation mechanism. The parties also need to continue making headway in the implementation of security arrangements. Furthermore, both Government and opposition officials must reaffirm their commitment to upholding the ceasefire, which must be a top priority as the lives of millions of civilians depend upon it. We are acutely aware that the humanitarian situation remains tragic, having been exacerbated by floods that have affected more than 900,000 people since November. I would recall that it befalls all parties to guarantee safe and unhindered access to all those in need of humanitarian assistance, which involves the protection of humanitarian and medical personnel as well as civilian infrastructure. It is also essential to continue the fight against sexual violence and the recruitment of child soldiers. The establishment of the hybrid court under the agreement would help to combat impunity and reduce the scale of the violence. In that connection, I would like to ask Mr. Shearer how soon that could happen. Moreover, peace will be sustainable only if it is inclusive. The active and meaningful participation of women and respect for the quotas provided for in the agreement are crucial. An inclusive peace also requires an open political space. However, the recent incidences of violations of the freedom of expression and violence against journalists are very worrisome. The guarantors of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and the stakeholders in the region should continue in their endeavours. In fact, only concerted regional pressure will encourage the parties to make the necessary concessions. In that regard, France congratulates the Sudan on its assumption of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) chairmanship. We encourage the Sudanese authorities to remain fully mobilized on this issue. Our appeal also concerns the Ugandan authorities, which have a crucial role to play in ensuring compliance with the new pre-transitional timeline. It is important that the new monitoring mechanism announced by IGAD can be set up as soon as possible and that the group of five African States mandated by the African Union to support IGAD’s mediation efforts in South Sudan be able to do so fully. The Council as a whole must reflect on the best way for the United Nations to support regional efforts. The good offices and technical expertise provided by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan are valuable and should be continued. In conclusion, the Council has put in place a sanctions regime that allows us to list any individual who may hinder the smooth conduct of the peace process. It is important that the Council use the full range of tools and leverage at its disposal in order to ensure that the peace process is not disrupted.

At the outset, I wish to thank Mr. Shearer and Ambassador Wronecka for their important briefings. We are concerned that, even today, we are facing an extension of 100 days to the pre-transitional period and that the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan remains largely unimplemented, leaving controversial issues unresolved. Nevertheless, beyond resolving issues such as state delimitation, cantonment and military redeployment, it is important that those pending issues in the process be addressed from a human- centred approach. The implementation of the agreement has not only political implications, but also constitutes a moral and ethical obligation with untold sociopolitical and economic benefits for a people that has already suffered enough. In that connection, we welcome the recent meeting between President Kiir and Mr. Machar, in which the unresolved issues that have thus far hindered the implementation of the revitalized agreement were once again up for discussion. Both parties announced their decision to form the Government of national unity, even if they fail to resolve all their differences before the deadline. Moreover, we are pleased with the Government’s pledge of $40 million for implementation efforts, which we hope will be fulfilled in its entirety within the established time frame. We regret, however, that this very backdrop of political harmony is being overshadowed by intercommunal tensions, as well as a dire humanitarian situation. Approximately 40 per cent of the population is suffering acute food insecurity, which has been worsened by recent floods that have submerged entire communities and led the Government to declare a state of emergency. In that regard, it is vital that, in parallel with the political process, programmes be promoted for the development of resilience and the mitigation of risks resulting from climate change, including water and food scarcities and climate-induced vulnerability. We are also concerned by the ongoing widespread sexual violence in conflict, as well as the obstructions faced by United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and other humanitarian personnel in accessing those in need. We condemn the attacks against humanitarian workers in recent months, while calling on the parties involved to put an end to the violence. We strongly reiterate our appeal for all possible measures to be taken to end sexual and gender-based violence and the recruitment and use of child soldiers. We also call for the signing of the memorandum of understanding on the hybrid court for South Sudan. In that vein, and as a positive note, we commend the efforts of UNMISS in coordinating and expanding mobile courts to areas with limited access to justice and its continuous rapprochement with the South Sudanese police and pro- Machar forces for the implementation of action plans to address conflict-related sexual violence. We would also like to underscore the need to continue promoting the meaningful participation of women, youth and civil society in the formation of the Government of national unity. In conclusion, we understand that the process of forming the Government of national unity must be focused on confidence-building among all stakeholders. Inclusivity within the process must be ensured but, above all, it must take into account the legitimate aspirations of the Sudanese people to achieve a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace that addresses the root causes of the crisis. There is a clear way forward  — if both leaders decide to take it, thereby assuming their responsibility to build a peaceful future for their people.

I would like to thank Special Representative David Shearer for his very informative presentation. Allow me to complement today’s briefing with some additional remarks in my national capacity. Poland welcomes last week’s meeting between President Salva Kiir and Mr. Riek Machar, which we see as an important step towards the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. We consider those face-to-face meetings to be an extremely valuable confidence-building measure, but they cannot replace genuine implementation of the provisions of the peace accord, in particular with regard to security arrangements and the number of states and their boundaries. It is our firm belief that a functioning, inclusive transitional Government is what the citizens of South Sudan both expect and deserve. We call on all signatories to the peace agreement to work together in a spirit of goodwill and compromise so as not to fail their citizens any longer. We took note of another extension of the pre-transitional period, but we remain deeply concerned with the pace of putting the necessary arrangements in place. We are also increasingly worried that there is not enough political will among the signatories to step up efforts in preparation for a successful transition and the formation of the transitional Government. Nevertheless, we welcome the decision of the Government of South Sudan to allocate funds for the implementation of security arrangements to speed up the necessary processes in the pre-transitional period to ensure a unity Government is formed in February 2020. We remain convinced that there is no durable peace without inclusiveness. We call on all South Sudanese political actors to put into practice the provisions of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan with regard to women’s representation in the pre-transition, transitional and other decision-making bodies and institutions. We believe that the participation of women in the political process in South Sudan is indispensable. Only by ensuring inclusive implementation does the Revitalized Peace Agreement stand a chance of being durable. While we take it as a good sign that the permanent ceasefire has been largely respected across South Sudan, we are concerned about the clashes in Central and Western Equatoria and their consequences on the civilian population. We remain deeply concerned about the cumulative effects of years of prolonged conflict, persisting humanitarian crisis and levels of intercommunal violence, as well as serious human rights violations and abuses, which include grave violations against children and incidents of conflict- related sexual violence. We call on the Government to spare no effort in bringing the perpetrators to justice and to fulfil its obligations with regard to protection of civilians. Another important factor, crucial for the sustainability of peace in South Sudan, is regional engagement. We commend the involvement of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and its member States and continue to believe that the region’s role in ensuring the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and holding the parties to it accountable cannot be overestimated. We are also convinced that the issue of the status of Mr. Riek Machar should be resolved as soon as possible. Since it is most probably my last chance to speak in the Chamber on issues related to South Sudan, allow me to conclude by expressing Poland’s appreciation and gratitude for Special Representative David Shearer and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, as well as the United Nations country team and humanitarian actors in South Sudan, for their dedication, professionalism and tireless efforts in supporting peace and stability in South Sudan.

First of all, I would like to thank Special Representative David Shearer for his briefing. I would also like to thank Ambassador Wronecka for her briefing and guidance on the work of the Sanctions Committee over the past two years. The South Sudan sanctions regime remains a useful tool, and the Security Council should not hesitate to use it when the situation requires such action. We will soon be halfway through the 100-day extension of the transition period, and we must note the little progress that has been made on the key issues of implementing the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South. We take note, however, of the recent statements by President Kiir and Mr. Riek Machar and urge them to implement them. The challenges of implementing the peace process are many, complex, well-known and have been recalled by the various speakers today. While we tend to focus on those difficulties from the point of view of political leaders, I would like to highlight some challenges today from the point of view of the people of South Sudan. First, civilians need all fighting to stop in order for them to rebuild their lives, homes and livelihoods. Perhaps the most important achievement of the current peace process is the ceasefire, which is broadly pursued. It is entirely up to the political leaders to ensure that their troops respect the ceasefire. However, we are concerned that fighting continues in parts of Equatoria and that inter-communal violence — which accounts for 85 per cent of civilian casualties — sexual violence and crime persist throughout the country. Those conditions confirm the need for civilian protection efforts by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). It seems to us that conditions are not yet conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and well-informed return of displaced persons, nearly half of whom are children. Secondly, the people of South Sudan need justice. Let me give a concrete, and unfortunately demonstrative, example of that. The July 2018 joint report by UNMISS and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on attacks against civilians in Unity state identified three individuals who were likely to exercise command over those who were committing the violations. One of those three individuals was the Commissioner of Gany county. Information gathered by the United Nations suggests that that individual ordered officers of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and youth groups to kill, rape and abduct civilians, recruit children, burn and loot houses and commit other atrocities, many of which could constitute war crimes. Initially, following the report, that Commissioner was dismissed. However, shortly thereafter, he was not only promoted militarily but, in November of this year, he was reinstated as Commissioner in the same place. We therefore urge the Government to put an end to the culture of impunity, thoroughly investigate all cases of abuse and bring to justice those responsible for the crimes. In that regard, we remind everyone of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union’s call for the Republic of South Sudan to rapidly operationalize all transitional justice mechanisms, including the hybrid court for South Sudan. Thirdly, the people of South Sudan must be able to exercise their civil and political rights. Some have been prevented from freely participating in political discussions as part of the peace process. The civic and political space is under threat. In that regard, we are particularly concerned about the seemingly uncontrolled powers of the national security services. We have received reports of illegal detention of members of civil society and the media, including cases of torture and sexual abuse by members of that service. We call for the urgent and thorough investigation of those reports. In addition, political prisoners and prisoners of war must be released without delay. There is also a need to ensure the full, effective and meaningful participation of women, young people and civil society in the peace process. Fourthly, the population is suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis. As the Secretary-General’s report (S/2019/936)indicates, the extreme gravity of the humanitarian situation underscores the need to restore peace. The World Food Programme has said that it is engaged in a race against time to feed millions of people. Hunger is on the rise due to droughts and floods, but also political instability in the context of a long-term humanitarian crisis. Significant obstacles to humanitarian access persist, whether due to hostility or attacks on humanitarian personnel and goods. Experts believe that the prospects for food insecurity have never been worse. Those challenges represent only part of the daily suffering and pain that the people of South Sudan have been subjected to for years. Those belonging to the political elite hold the keys to the solution. The time has come for them to get to work.

At the outset, I thank Mr. David Shearer, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), for his briefing. I also thank Ambassador Joanna Wronecka for her briefing on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015). I thank her and her team for their excellent stewardship of the work of the Committee over the past two years. I would like to discuss three issues: political developments, the Mission’s mandate and the humanitarian situation. First, with regard to political developments, we welcome the meetings between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Mr. Riek Machar last month in Uganda and more recently in Juba, as well as the commitment to completing the tasks of the pretransitional phase before the end of the additional 100-day extension period, especially those relating to mandates in terms of numbers and scope, the grouping, unification and training of forces and the formation of the transitional Government of national unity, in accordance with the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. We also thank the other countries of the region, especially the Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia, for their active role in making peace, and we appreciate the support given by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in connection with those efforts, most recently its 10 November communiqué. Secondly, with regard to the humanitarian situation, we welcome the fact that the ceasefire has continued to hold in most regions of South Sudan, and we hope that conditions will be conducive to strengthening the safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their areas. We call on the international community to redouble its efforts to alleviate the humanitarian burden on the population, especially in the areas of health, education and housing, and underscore the references in resolution 2417 (2018) to starvation and conflict. Starvation is central to relapses into conflict and we are concerned that more than 6 million people are undernourished or malnourished. At the same time, we welcome the progressive reduction in the number of persons in civilian protection sites at UNMISS, and reaffirm that the protection of civilians remains the primary responsibility of the Government of South Sudan. Thirdly, with regard to the work and mandate of the Mission, we appreciate the role of UNMISS in South Sudan and we commend its good offices and the health, humanitarian and legal services it provides, all of which contribute to the consolidation of peace by giving priority to political solutions. We also call for assurance of the freedom of movement and humanitarian assistance, supported by UNMISS, in accordance with the status-of-forces agreement and relevant Security Council resolutions regarding the mandate of the Mission. We condemn the kidnapping and killing of volunteers of the International Organization for Migration in late October 2018 and remind everyone of their responsibilities under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. In conclusion, as this is the last meeting of the Council in which our delegation will discuss the situation in South Sudan, we express our hope that this dossier will see positive developments and promote greater unity among Council members. Kuwait recalls the historically close relationship of brotherhood and development that it has shared with South Sudan for more than 45 years. We therefore look forward to pursuing bilateral cooperation in the near future and to playing a renewed role in supporting South Sudan through one of the most delicate stages in its history, towards security, stability and development in a friendly South Sudan and in order to generate hope for a future full of peace and prosperity.

I thank you, Madam President, for convening this important meeting. I too join my fellow speakers in expressing our appreciation to Special Representative David Shearer for his briefing and tireless efforts to ensure the effective contribution of the United Nations to peace and stability in South Sudan. Like other speakers, we also thank our sister, Ambassador Joanna Wronecka, for her briefing on the activities of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015). Indonesia has always been grateful for her excellent work and leadership of that Committee. Under United States and South African leadership of the Council we have discussed developments in Juba, and we have continuously sent a message for peace and reconciliation. I think that is an important message and I hope that the transitional Government can be established as soon as possible. In that regard, my statement will focus on three key issues. First, on the political situation, Indonesia maintains its conviction that the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan provides an unparalleled opportunity for peace and stability in South Sudan. We take note of the extension of the pretransitional period by 100 days. The clock is ticking fast, and some people have already noted that we have fewer than 65 days to go. Parties to the agreement must utilize that extension to make substantive progress in resolving the outstanding issues. Like others have done, we urge all parties to embrace goodwill and compromise, prioritizing the interests of the South Sudanese people. We welcome the joint statement made a few hours ago in Juba by President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Mr. Riek Machar on the formation of a Government. Face-to-face meetings will certainly provide greater results and we welcome such efforts. My delegation also echoes the call for the expeditious and transparent disbursement of funds for the agreement, noting that it could contribute to enhancing international confidence and support. The proactive and continued engagement of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union (AU) and guarantors of the agreement is crucial, including efforts to facilitate dialogue between senior leaders and supervise progress on critical tasks. We support the role of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in providing advice and technical assistance to support the implementation of the agreement. Secondly, on the security situation, the ceasefire across the country must be preserved. We concur with the Secretary-General that it is “a fundamental achievement of the peace process” (S/2019/936, para. 102). We have already witnessed an overall reduction in political violence, except in the greater Equatoria region. My delegation also draws encouragement from  — to borrow the Special Representative’s language from his address to the AU Peace and Security Council  — “a real and palpable desire for peace, particularly at the grassroots level”, manifested in confidence and trust- building activities. Ensuring peace at the grassroots level is very important. Nevertheless, recent tribal clashes and other internal fighting in areas that have been relatively calm over the past few months demonstrate that the security situation remains fragile, and of course the Council must continue to monitor that. Indonesia stresses the need for full protection of civilians and observance of international humanitarian law. We are concerned by multiple incidents that have affected human rights and protection situations, especially those directed at civilians. Impunity will prolong the conflict cycle and jeopardize the credibility of the peace process. That is not what we want at this crucial stage. In that regard, UNMISS plays an important role in strengthening the judicial presence in the country, including by coordinating support for mobile courts. We regret that UNMISS remains subjected to access restrictions and other impediments, in violation of the status- of-forces agreement, which potentially impedes the Mission’s ability to implement its mandates, including to protect civilians. Thirdly, on the humanitarian situation, we must not forget that efforts to bring about peace and stability in South Sudan are taking place against the backdrop of a troubling humanitarian situation. There are 7.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, among whom are those impacted by recent flooding. It is expected that 4.54 million people are severely food insecure. A durable solution is desperately needed for the 1.5 million internally displaced persons and 2.2 million refugees. The operational environment for humanitarian actors in South Sudan continues to be challenging and dangerous. Humanitarian actors must be provided with the space necessary to deliver humanitarian assistance. I conclude by reaffirming Indonesia’s support for peace and stability in South Sudan, including through its contribution to UNMISS.

China thanks Mr. David Shearer, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan, and Ambassador Wronecka for their briefings. I would also like to thank Ambassador Wronecka for her work as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan. Since the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan in September 2018, South Sudan has seen a drastic reduction in conflict, the ceasefire has been maintained in most parts of the country and the security situation has continued to improve. China welcomes those developments. Meanwhile, the country still faces challenges in achieving peace and stability amid a dire humanitarian situation and a further extension of the deadline for the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity. The top priority now is to continue to assist the country in maintaining the hard-earned momentum towards peace. The implementation of the Revitalized Agreement is key to a political resolution of the issue of South Sudan. The assistance of the international community, and the Security Council in particular, should focus on facilitating the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement by all parties through greater efforts in the following three areas. First, the leadership of the Government of South Sudan should be fully respected. The parties in South Sudan bear the primary responsibility for implementing the Revitalized Agreement. The international community should enhance communication with all parties, particularly the Government, listen carefully to their opinions and proposals and provide the necessary funding and material and technical support on the political and security fronts, based on the country’s needs. Secondly, support to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) should continue so that it can play its role as the main mediation channel. The United Nations and the Security Council should enhance coordination with the African Union, IGAD, other regional and subregional organizations and the countries of the region, including the Sudan. They should support their mediation efforts, focusing on helping the Government of South Sudan and the opposition consolidate mutual trust and confidence and maintain a dialogue in order to reach consensus as soon as possible on such core issues as security arrangements and the number and boundaries of states. Thirdly, humanitarian and economic assistance to South Sudan should continue. The international community should help it address issues such as food security and the return and resettlement of displaced persons, as well as increasing investment in agriculture, energy, infrastructure, education, health care and other fields in order to improve the capacity of the South Sudanese people to rebuild their homes and resume development. China highly commends the United Nations Mission in South Sudan for its important contribution to maintaining peace and stability in South Sudan and supports the Mission in its assistance to the South Sudanese parties in implementing the Revitalized Agreement and advancing the peace process. China has been a consistent supporter of the peace process in South Sudan. To help the country implement the Revitalized Agreement, we are sending a batch of food and material assistance to South Sudan and working actively to ensure that it is delivered. We are ready to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in achieving peace, stability and development in South Sudan.

We thank today’s briefers, Special Representative of the Secretary-General Mr. David Shearer and the Ambassador of Poland, Ms. Wronecka, for their information. I also want to thank the Ambassador for her confident and professional stewardship of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan for the past two years. The people of South Sudan are indeed living through a watershed moment in their history, and our task is to help them deal with the challenges facing their young nation. Like all of our colleagues, we are unquestionably disappointed that it has not been possible to form the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity by the previously agreed deadline of 12 November. However, we urge against overdramatizing the situation or writing off the efforts that have been made in that regard. We have observed some progress in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, and it is important that the parties demonstrate their willingness to engage in dialogue and overcome differences by seeking compromise solutions. In that connection, we have noted the meetings between Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, which we have consistently called for and which have now become regular. We are sure that such contact is indispensable and can help generate the necessary momentum for South Sudan’s reconciliation process. We would especially like to draw attention to the fact that just a few hours ago President Kiir announced that an agreement in principle had been reached on forming the Cabinet. We await further details and hope the agreement will be implemented as soon as possible. We feel compelled to point to a number of things that give us grounds for a certain degree of optimism. The Secretary-General’s report (S/2019/936) notes a drop in the level of armed violence and in the number of intercommunal clashes. In tandem with the improved security situation, humanitarian access has improved as well, and the number of human rights violations has noticeably decreased. All of that is creating a positive trend in the return of South Sudanese refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes, which we believe is linked to the implementation of confidence-building measures and to contacts among the warring parties on the ground. But of course the main achievement — and here we concur with the Secretary-General’s opinion — is that the parties are complying with the provisions of the ceasefire. We call on the South Sudanese to adhere strictly to those agreements. We understand that the decision to extend the pre-transition period is through force of circumstance and certainly not a reflection of the aspirations of the South Sudanese and their neighbours. We have taken note of the position of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which welcomed the measure. We hope that the South Sudanese parties will take the necessary steps to resolve the outstanding issues on the agenda. As far as the non-signatories to the Revitalized Agreement are concerned, we urge them to join the concerted process of building the State without delay. We believe it is important that regional players take the lead in supporting the South Sudanese peace process, and in that connection we welcome the efforts of the African Union, IGAD, the Sudan, South Africa and Uganda. They must maintain a united approach that will enable them to act in the spirit of the principle of African solutions to African problems. In our view, only the full and comprehensive compliance of all the parties with the obligations they have undertaken can improve their mutual trust and ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. We were pleased with the news that the South Sudanese authorities have earmarked $40 million for the continued implementation of projects under the Revitalized Agreement, in particular for the establishment of a united armed force, which again emphasizes that the parties want to reach an agreement. In the context of advancing a settlement in South Sudan, we urge against going overboard on pressuring the country with sanctions, and especially unilateral restrictions. The encouraging indicators we are seeing now have been made possible largely thanks to the contribution of regional mediators. Not to mention that at one stage it was arms-embargo activity that was preventing regional security initiatives in support of the settlement process from being implemented. We believe that once the people of South Sudan have been able to reach agreement on the whole gamut of issues, we will need to review the sanctions regime with the aim of adapting it to the realities on the ground.

Allow me to join others in thanking Special Representative Shearer, not only for his briefing, but for his work and that of his entire team on the ground in South Sudan. We really enjoyed coming to see Mr. Shearer. We were impressed by what he and his team were doing, and we really want to thank him. I would also like to thank Ambassador Joanna Wronecka very much for her tireless efforts as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan. This is our first Council meeting since the 100-day extension, but it is not the first time that the parties have failed to deliver progress. We are over one-third of the way through the 100-day extension and I believe that the Council must repeat and reinforce the clear and united message that we delivered collectively in Juba, that all parties must seize this opportunity and agree the steps that are necessary to form an inclusive Government. Those steps include, of course, efforts to make progress on cantonment. We also heard from Special Representative Shearer today about the importance of food and resources being delivered to those cantonment sites, as well as training being conducted and genuine reintegration taking place in order to ensure security for all in South Sudan. I also very much want to pay tribute to the efforts of the Deputy President of South Africa, Mr. David Mabuza, on the thorny question of States in South Sudan. That is a crucial issue, one that we perhaps have to recognize may not be fully resolvable before the 100 days are up, but we do need the parties to commit to continuing to engage in that process, and I very much welcome the efforts of the Deputy President of South Africa in that regard. We of course welcome the recent meetings and positive statements that have taken place between President Kiir Mayardit and Mr. Machar, but I have to say that so far we have not seen those shift the dial. I want to stress today the importance of actions and results, as well as statements and promises. I echo the need expressed by others to resolve the status of Mr. Riek Machar. I just do not understand how he does not hold a South Sudanese passport while he is busy negotiating to be part of the South Sudanese Government. I hope that that can be sorted out quickly as a gesture of good faith and that his status can be resolved by the region. We strongly welcome the region’s engagement and leadership to achieve those ends. History has shown that without external pressure, the parties fail to act. We therefore urge our partners in the region, particularly the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to redouble their efforts to ensure progress. We believe that the release of the IGAD 50-day report will mark an important moment. The Security Council must work hand in hand with IGAD — that is key. And I think that we should consider in our consultations how we could deepen that cooperation. We also need to look beyond the 100-day extension and issues around South Sudan’s future. It is deeply concerning that subnational communal violence remains at worrying levels across the country. The persistence of conflict-related sexual violence, as evidenced in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2019/936), is extremely worrying. All parties to the conflict must take immediate action to stop conflict-related sexual violence. We welcome the focus of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan on this important issue and its support to efforts to end impunity for such crimes. I want to strongly support the intervention made by the representative from Belgium on that point and echo his concerns about the reappointment of the Gany County Commissioner. Humanitarian partners continue to face high levels of bureaucratic impediments to humanitarian access and serious insecurity. The urgency, as others have said, has been only further exacerbated by the recent flooding — the worst in 30 years — which has affected almost 1 million people. The United Kingdom contributed $210 million in 2018 in that regard and we continue to do all that we can to improve the situation. In closing, let me stress that the ongoing ceasefire must continue to hold, and the two leaders must unequivocally commit to that ceasefire and to peace. The Council must stand ready to support the parties, in coordination with IGAD and the African Union, to support the parties forward on the pathway to peace and to make the necessary compromises. That cannot happen unless the best interests of the people of South Sudan are prioritized over the self-interest of the elite. There must be consequences for those who do not live up to their responsibilities to bring about a lasting peace in South Sudan.

We thank Mr. David Shearer, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan, for his important briefing. We are also grateful for the information provided by Ambassador Joanna Wronecka and offer her our special appreciation for her excellent work as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan. Peru, which is closely monitoring the renewed peace process in South Sudan, reiterates its disappointment at the continued delays in completing the required tasks with a view to forming of a revitalized transitional Government of national unity. Those outstanding issues contribute only to generating uncertainty among the people of South Sudan and increasing ethnic and intercommunal violence. We trust that the parties, aware of their responsibilities to ensure the future of the country, will fulfil their commitments and make the necessary progress within the framework established. In that regard, we stress the urgency of enabling greater progress in transitional security arrangements. The joint security mechanism workshop that was convened in November was a positive step in that regard, and we hope that it will result in concrete measures to enable the inauguration of the transitional Government. We are confident that the recent meeting between President Kiir and Mr. Machar will contribute to achieving that objective and to laying the groundwork for progress on the issue of the number of states and boundaries. We call on the parties to pursue their dialogue and identify a process that will enable those disputes to be resolve progressively, while also preventing conflict from resurging in different areas of the country. We are concerned about the persistence of ethnic and intercommunal violence and sporadic clashes between the Government and opposition forces in the Equatorias region. We reiterate our call on non-signatory groups to join the commitment to peace in South Sudan, because dialogue is the only means through which lasting peace can be achieved. We regret the continued reports of incidents of human rights violations and abuses, which have resulted in the deaths of 133 civilians in the past three months, as the current situation in that territory is one of impunity. At the same time, we are also concerned that despite a decrease in political violence, conflict-related sexual violence has persisted. We hope that the endorsements of the respective action plans of various armed groups will be accompanied by concrete measures to hold the perpetrators of those crimes accountable for their actions. We also regret that, despite the decrease in conflict, the humanitarian situation remains critical. The World Food Programme has recently warned of a possible famine in South Sudan that could affect more than 5.5 million people, as a result of the disastrous impacts of drought and flooding and the fragile economic situation in South Sudan. Despite that uncertain scenario, we hope that the collective interest will prevail and enable a definitive ceasefire, as well as the allocation of the announced funds for the transparent and effective implementation of the agreement. I conclude by expressing my conviction that the Council will remain united in providing the support and political follow-up required to cement the peace process in South Sudan, in close coordination with the regional leadership carried out by the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, whose actions will play a decisive role in what we hope will soon be a successful transition period and in consolidating peace.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussions on the subject.