24 October 2017, JUBA — UN personnel working across South Sudan have today come
together with local leaders and communities to celebrate United Nations Day and the work
the organization is doing to protect civilians, build durable peace, and create stability and
development within the young nation.

Speaking at a UN Day event in Juba, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General,
David Shearer paid tribute to the professionalism, commitment and courage of the
thousands of staff working for more than 20 UN entities in often remote and dangerous
locations across South Sudan.

“This year alone, UN agencies and humanitarian partners are providing life-saving health,
nutrition, education, and water and sanitation services to 4.7 million South Sudanese in
need.

Those achievements are testament to the commitment of dedicated aid workers, many of
whom are South Sudanese nationals,” said David Shearer.

South Sudanese political and community leaders as well as members of the public joined
in the 72nd anniversary celebration held in the capital as well as at UN bases across the
country under the theme: “United Nations and South Sudan Building the Future
Together”.

The UN has been working in what is now the country of South Sudan, for over 50 years,
providing vital services such as food, access to clean water, sanitation, education, health
care, infrastructural development, peacekeeping, policing, demining, human rights and
other forms of advocacy.

David Shearer said while the many South Sudanese people he had met were from different
regions and backgrounds, they all wanted one thing – peace.

“People want to return home. They want their children to go to school. They want to be
productive citizens. They want to be self-reliant,” he said. “That is why the South Sudanese
are urging their leaders to silence the guns and give peace a chance.”

UN day allows the organization to actively promote the ideals of the UN. It is also being
celebrated in Torit, Aweil, Yambio, Bentiu, Malakal, Wau, Bor, Rumbek and Warrap.

The United Nations was established in 1945 with just 51 Member States. Today there are
193, including South Sudan, the UN’s youngest member. While the organization has
changed, the UN’s founding principles of promoting peace and security, human rights and
development remain the same and are at the core of the UN’s work in South Sudan, said
David Shearer.
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