What will be one the key things you expect the Council to be interested in?

The Security Council visit is a chance for the Council to see firsthand some of the challenges facing the people of the country, especially those who are located in UNMISS Protection of Civilian sites, and to also meet with civil society groups to get a better picture of some of the security, human rights and other challenges they face.

In your own discussions with the delegation and those they will have with the government what do you hope to achieve?

We are hoping for very constructive engagements with the Council, and for them to also have the opportunity to hear from the Transitional Government about any challenges or concerns they have with providing the necessary support, not only, to our implementation of the new mandate, but also the peace agreement.

As you know the Security Council has been very concerned, as are we, here in the Mission, with the continuous fighting in parts of the country, as well as the overall security and humanitarian situation, so we are hopeful that the visit will provide an impetus for frank discussions on how best the Government and the UN can work together for the benefit of the people of South Sudan.

How important is the timing of this visit?

It is close to the time for us to provide our first report to the Secretary General on the process of implementing aspects of our new mandate, and I am sure that  the delegation will be interested to hear about the progress we have made through our discussions with the Government and regional partners, in particular on the deployment of a regional protection force for Juba.

Any visit of the UN Security Council is an important event. It indicates a firm commitment to bringing much-needed peace to South Sudan, and it shows that the whole UN family and member states care about what the circumstances are here on the ground, and what the people of South Sudan are facing. It allows the Council to reaffirm that the UN is here to work with the Government – not against it – to improve the lives of its people.