Today we come together to observe the International Day of Peace. The theme is: “Together for Peace, Respect, Safety and Dignity for All”.

Here in South Sudan people face enormous challenges. Half the population is suffering from severe hunger and is in need of food aid. One-third of the population have fled their homes or have crossed the border into neighboring countries as refugees.  One million South Sudanese, for example, now live in refugee camps in Uganda.

Here in Wau, thousands of people have sought sanctuary from violence in this UN Protection of Civilians site behind me. They get food, water, healthcare and shelter here but, most of all, they get protection. They get protection from our peacekeepers who enforce the peace here. They want to go home.  They want to go back to their own communities, to grow their own crops, to raise their kids and look forward to a better future.

The UN Mission is committed to working with the people of South Sudan to achieve that by protecting civilians and building durable peace.

We want the children of South Sudan to be able to reach their full potential. We want people to be able to live safely and with dignity in their own homes.

On this day, we must remember that the path to peace is through political means and not through conflict. We have to come together, respect each other regardless of who we are, or of our ethnicity or our political affiliation, and engage in reconciliation and dialogue so that an enduring peace can be achieved here in South Sudan.

Watch The Video Message Here: https://vimeo.com/234678878