David Shearer, the new Special Representative for South Sudan and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), delivered his first statement upon arriving in Juba on Friday 20 January at approximately 4.15 pm. A near verbatim transcript of what he had to say (plus audio and link to photo album below):

I come with a very fresh and open mind about South Sudan, I haven’t… obviously had a long experience here. I’m going to be spending my first few weeks in listening mode, in just hearing what people have got to say to me,  I’m looking forward to the assignment, I know it’s going to be challenging. But I feel that the South Sudanese people deserve to have a state that is functioning and looks after them, and is stable, and provides for their peace and their prosperity. What we can do to contribute to that? I will certainly be doing my very best to make sure that happens.

When you look at other countries that have been in the same path as South Sudan following a liberation war, it does take some time to move forward. And I am hoping that I will be able to support the various actors, get behind them and bring people together and create some stability. First of all, I’m not an expert so I will not prophesize about what’s going to happen, but I’m looking forward to being here, looking forward to being as I said in listening mode, [inaudible] to see a way forward.

Thank you very much for turning up, thank you for the warm welcome, it’s great to be here, I appreciate it. 

Photos of Mr. Shearer's arrival