Politics
The United Nations Security Council has been informed that political consensus in South Sudan remains fragile and the deteriorating security situation is taking a worrying turn, with the country facing serious challenges ahead of elections
The United Nations Security Council has been informed that political consensus in South Sudan remains fragile and the deteriorating security situation is taking a worrying turn, with the country facing serious challenges ahead of elections scheduled for December 22. Anita Kiki Gbeho, the UN Special Representative for South Sudan, told the Security Council that the country was at a critical crossroads. Although preparations for the elections were progressing rapidly, political consensus over the transitional period was weakening at an alarming pace. She said several questions remained about the preparations for the electoral process, including security and logistical arrangements, the National Elections Commission's ability to organize elections within the limited time available, and implementation of the remaining provisions of the peace agreement. Gbeho also pointed out those recent political developments had prevented the implementation of the 35 per cent quota for women's representation stipulated in the peace agreement. She stressed that the elections should be an important milestone in the transitional process rather than its conclusion. Elections, she said, could not replace political dialogue, the restoration of mutual trust or continued implementation of the peace agreement.
Discussing the security situation, Gbeho said conditions in the country had become increasingly complex. However, despite the fragile political environment, large-scale armed confrontations of the kind witnessed in the past had not yet resumed. Available data indicate that armed clashes between the main signatories to the peace agreement have generally declined. However, localised violence, political divisions and tensions between communities have increased. These developments have undermined confidence in the country's overall security situation. She warned that if these tensions persist, they could deepen existing vulnerabilities amid the political and humanitarian crises and lead to further escalation in different parts of the country.
Expressing concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis, Gbeho said approximately 10 million people in the country needed humanitarian assistance. Since fighting erupted in Sudan, around 1.4 million people have crossed the border into South Sudan, while approximately 7.5 million people in the country are facing food insecurity. The number of people at risk of famine is also rising. Prolonged drought and anticipated flooding linked to El Niño could further worsen the humanitarian crisis. She added that the Ebola outbreak in the region was creating additional risks, making it essential to strengthen disease preparedness, cooperation and emergency response measures.
The Special Representative stressed the urgent need to halt the ongoing fighting and called on all parties to exercise restraint, protect civilians and respect the ceasefire. She said political negotiations could not be postponed any longer. South Sudan's leadership, she added, should launch broad-based and inclusive talks on the remaining provisions of the peace agreement and the country's political future after the elections. The ultimate measure of success, she said, was simple: would the people of South Sudan be safer tomorrow than they were today?
Meanwhile, drone attacks and drought are also taking a heavy toll on Sudan. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned that the country's critical infrastructure is being targeted by attacks from the warring parties, including drones capable of striking targets up to 1,500 kilometers away. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said Sudan had never before witnessed attacks of this kind. During the final week of October, not a single day passed without a power station being targeted by a drone strike somewhere in the country. A total of 15 power stations were attacked in October alone. He said the conflict had previously involved attacks using suicide drones, but the warring parties now possessed drones capable of accurately striking distant targets. Two-thirds of the children killed during the war in Sudan this year were reportedly victims of these drone attacks. Such weapons are extending the conflict into areas that were once considered safe.
Speaking to journalists in Geneva after returning from a visit to Sudan, Elder recounted the story of a teenage boy he had met in the city of El Obeid. According to investigators from the UN Human Rights Council, residents of the city live under the constant threat of drone attacks. Elder said the boy, named Buri, had lost both hands in an explosion and was now living in a tent. He attends online classes in the morning and collects grass for livestock with his arms in the afternoon. His friends help him with the task. Elder said this was the reality of Sudan: a war that shows no signs of ending and continues to devastate people's lives.
The UNICEF spokesperson said that, as in Ukraine, Sudan's energy sector was facing repeated attacks. However, he pointed out a major difference between the two countries: damaged facilities in Ukraine are repaired, whereas this is not happening in Sudan. He explained that when a power station is attacked, water supply pumps stop functioning and water treatment systems also cease to operate. As a result, people are forced to rely on expensive and unsafe alternatives to obtain water. Diseases are spreading under these conditions, while the systems needed to keep vaccines and medicines at safe temperatures are also under severe threat because of the war.
Farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to irrigate their crops because irrigation pumps run on electricity generated by generators, and severe fuel shortages have made their operation extremely expensive. All this is happening at a time when more than 800,000 children under the age of five in Sudan are expected to suffer from the most severe form of acute malnutrition this year, a condition that can be fatal. UNICEF and its partner organizations have so far treated hundreds of thousands of children for the life-threatening form of severe acute malnutrition. The organisation has also provided healthcare services to more than 2.5 million people, while millions of children have been vaccinated against deadly diseases.
