[AS DELIVERED]

Thank you for the opportunity to address this plenary session. Allow me to introduce Mr. Graham Maitland, the Acting Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (Political).

The resumption of this forum is critical to renewing our collective focus on the Revitalized Peace Agreement and the broader peace process.

At the last regular R-JMEC plenary held in February, in light of the emerging events in Western Equatoria and Nassir, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Nicholas Haysom, warned about the dangers posed by the lack of progress in the implementation of the security arrangements and emphasized the urgent need to consolidate inclusive peace.

Unfortunately, since then, the transitional governance and security framework under the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) has been severely fractured. Unilateral actions, partial implementation, or selective adherence continues to undermine the integrity of the Agreement.

The consequences of the lack of progress are evident. The security situation has deteriorated in several parts of the country, including through aerial bombardments and direct political violence between principal parties to the R-ARCSS. From January to September, the United Nations Human Rights Office recorded a sharp increase in civilian casualties due to conflict-related violence — 59 per cent higher than during the same period last year.

Equally concerning is the political schism caused by the house arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar and other senior Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-IO officials since March 2025. This was followed by charges and suspensions announced on the eve of the seventh anniversary of the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, culminating in his trial with the co-accused persons.  The United Nations remains impartial and committed to supporting the rule of law and as such, we urge that all judicial proceedings adhere to international standards of fairness, transparency, and due process.  

The political crisis is also exacerbating the humanitarian situation. Insecurity and conflict continue to drive significant and new displacement. Over 497,000 people have been newly displaced this year, nearly 321,000 by conflict and 175,000 due to flooding. The influx of returnees and refugees from Sudan and other neighbouring countries, compounded by economic and health shocks, is placing additional strain on already overstretched services.

In recent months, humanitarian access has become increasingly restricted: by the end of September, 70 access incidents were reported, unchanged from August but over double the 33 recorded in September 2024, and reflecting a sharp increase accompanied by greater violence and targeting of humanitarian workers, compounds, and supplies. Without urgent restoration of access, particularly in conflict-affected areas, a full-scale food and nutrition catastrophe is possible.

It is imperative that all armed actors remove access restrictions and ensure the safety of humanitarian workers so assistance can urgently reach affected communities. In the context of shrinking aid funding, the transitional government must demonstrate its commitment to providing essential services and creating long-term conditions of stability and equitable governance. These goals are unattainable without peace; and peace requires the full, and inclusive implementation of the R-ARCSS.

The revitalized peace agreement, agreed to by the parties themselves, remains the only framework for completing an inclusive political transition and achieving lasting peace in South Sudan. There is no alternative. Any deviation from its provisions, or attempts to circumvent its mechanisms, risks plunging the country back into conflict and uncertainty.

In our analysis, the challenges facing the RARCSS are man-made, fundamentally political, and only resolvable through inclusive dialogue. The time for action is now—the people of South Sudan deserve peace, a unified commitment to their safety, security and stability.

The UN remains fully committed to supporting the people and the Government of South Sudan in completing the political transition and achieving lasting peace. A sense of urgency is required from the parties to:

• Immediately mitigate the expansion of violence by adhering to the 2017 Cessation of Hostilities
• Engage in inclusive and constructive dialogue
• Return to the framework of the Revitalized Peace Agreement
• Agree on a clear and consensual path to exit the transitional period.

I thank you.

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Contact: UNMISS Spokesperson at unmiss-spokesperson@un.org