Juba, 24 March 2022: Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for South Sudan, and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has urged all signatories to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) to respect this vital document.

“The decision by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) to suspend its participation in the security mechanisms of the peace agreement is deeply worrying,” stated SRSG Haysom.

“However, we acknowledge some of the concerns raised by the SPLM-IO, especially the alarming spike in violent conflict in Upper Nile and Unity states, that has directly impacted their cantonment sites as well as innocent civilians,” added the top UN envoy.

For its part, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) has noted the concerns and consequential violence regarding ongoing defections among the ranks of stakeholders, calling on all parties to comply fully with the letter and spirit of the Peace Agreement. 

“Less than 12 months of the transitional period remain; it is crucial that all parties continue their best efforts to sustain the ceasefire and work towards implementing  outstanding benchmarks so that free and fair elections can take place,” SRSG Haysom continued.

“There is no military solution to the conflict in South Sudan. I encourage political parties to put aside their differences in the larger interest of peace, progress, and prosperity. UNMISS stands ready to extend its full support in this regard,” said the SRSG.

The Mission continues to engage with communities and authorities in volatile locations to prevent further escalation, and to support humanitarian partners in delivering aid to the conflict affected.
 

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