29 January 2014 - South Sudan’s future depended on humanitarian work, institution building and longer term development efforts that were being focused on before 15 December 2013, the UN humanitarian chief said in Juba today.

“We have to deal with the here and now,” said Under-Secretary-General Valerie Amos at a press conference marking the end of her three-day visit. “At the same time we have to engage with the government, different parties (and) press the leadership to make sure that reconciliation efforts deliver some kind of change on the ground.”

Ms. Amos noted the unfeasibility of people continuing to shelter in UN bases because they were afraid. She stressed that critical efforts were needed in the national police force, army and areas like job creation to contribute to the country’s stability.

“We will continue our work on the humanitarian side … but if these development efforts don’t bear fruit, we will be called on to do more.”

Ms. Amos, accompanied by Humanitarian Coordinator Toby Lanzer, said this year’s humanitarian plan for South Sudan had already been “blown off course”, with an estimated 702,000 people currently displaced in the country.
Humanitarian consequences of the crisis had already outstripped the 400,000 people partners had expected could be displaced by the end of March, Mr. Lanzer noted. He described humanitarian efforts as “a race against time to preposition assistance ahead of the rainy season, prevent disease outbreaks and foster reconciliation”.

Ms. Amos said aid agencies had been unable to provide assistance to many people due to insecurity, although they had assisted over 300,000 displaced people and saved many lives.

“In (the Upper Nile State capital) Malakal, I saw UN warehouses looted and assets damaged,” she said. “There are tens of thousands of people in the town who need our help. Because of the looting, we cannot help as many as we would wish.”

She added that worrying reports of interference in humanitarians’ activities – some had endured violence and three were killed -- was affecting their ability to assist all people in need. She also noted that 106 aid workers in Yirol, Lakes State, had been prevented from relocating to Juba for safety.

Ms. Amos said she welcomed statements made by President Salva Kiir during her visit about reconciliation as well as his assurances that humanitarians could go anywhere they wished to help all South Sudanese.

Asked how UN relations with the South Sudanese government would affect displaced persons, the humanitarian chief said she had talked to the president and ministers about international humanitarian law principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence.

“I acknowledged that we would not always agree about the best way in which those principles should be applied, but that it was important that those principles are respected,” she said.

“We will continue to do our work (and) communicate with the government…. I have no doubt that the relationship will continue to be tested, but I think the key thing is transparency and communication,” Ms. Amos added.

She called on all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure all civilians were protected, regardless of their origins or who they were.