President, I will make three points.
Firstly, the United Kingdom remains concerned by the continued violence across South Sudan, which has led to widespread suffering.
As highlighted in the Secretary-General’s report, military offensives and intercommunal clashes continue to devastate communities.
We condemn these repeated attacks, including aerial bombardments against civilians, humanitarian workers and medical facilities.
We call on South Sudan’s leaders to take urgent and concrete steps to halt the violence and restore dialogue, and we urge all parties to protect civilians and comply fully with international humanitarian and human rights law.
Second, President, as we have heard today, the political situation continues to deteriorate.
The ongoing house arrest of First Vice President Machar undermines the core principles of the 2018 peace agreement and is a serious obstacle to reconciliation.
Meanwhile, persistent reshuffles have caused further destabilisation, and government institutions are not operating as they should.
The United Kingdom echoes the African Union’s call for the immediate release of all political detainees, including the First Vice President.
This is necessary for credible and inclusive dialogue.
We also encourage renewed political engagement with regional efforts to advance peace in South Sudan.
Thirdly, the United Kingdom remains deeply concerned by the ongoing acute humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, with over 7.7 million people facing severe food insecurity, and a cholera outbreak that has claimed more than 1,400 lives.
These conditions are being exacerbated by spillover from the conflict in Sudan and by the effects of climate change.
The situation in South Sudan is a clear example of the linkages between climate, peace and security. We commend UNMISS for its tireless work in addressing these climate-related risks, as well as its broader efforts to enable the delivery of aid and protect civilians.
In this respect, President, the United Kingdom calls on South Sudan’s leadership to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all civilians in need, irrespective of political affiliation or ethnicity.
And with respect to broader efforts to build resilience and secure lasting peace, we also urge South Sudan’s leadership to take meaningful steps to address the growing impacts of climate change as a key driver of fragility and instability.
