South Sudan

As Crisis Group warned in March, South Sudan is in a state of political turmoil as President Salva Kiir reshapes his administration and dismantles the 2018 peace deal that ended the last civil war. His actions seem designed to eliminate possible rivals to Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel, a protegé he has elevated rapidly as a potential successor. 

[…] If current trends of intensifying violence, political fragmentation, and retaliatory attacks continue, the conflict in South Sudan is also likely to expand beyond Upper Nile into other high-risk areas such as Unity, Jonglei, and possibly the capital, Juba, in the next three months. 

South Sudan’s crude oil exports through Port Sudan, the army’s de facto wartime capital on the Red Sea, have resumed weeks after drone attacks targeted key facilities, officials confirmed Tuesday.

Since a sharp escalation in fighting in South Sudan in late February, 165,000 people have fled their homes, seeking safety either within the country or across borders, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday. Violence between armed groups in Upper Nile state and other flashpoints has crippled essential services, triggered food insecurity and worsened disease outbreaks, including cholera – forcing some to be displaced repeatedly.

The Security Council today extended for one year the sanctions regime it has imposed on South Sudan, which includes asset freezes, travel bans and an arms embargo — even as some speakers expressed concern that the African position on this issue is being ignored and sanctions are getting misused as a tool for coercion. Resolution 2781 (2025) … was adopted by a recorded vote of 9 votes in favour (Denmark, Greece, Guyana, France, Panama, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, United Kingdom, United States) to none against, with 6 abstentions (Algeria, China, Russian Federation, Pakistan, Somalia and Sierra Leone).

[…] The impact of the Sudanese war on South Sudan, however, isn’t a straightforward spillover catastrophe. The picture is more nuanced, and this is most clearly seen in South Sudan’s oil economy. 

UN rights chief calls on South Sudan’s warring parties to end renewed fighting
The UN on Friday warned of further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan amid an uptick in hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech since February. … Escalating hostilities “portend a real risk of further exacerbating the already dire human rights and humanitarian situation,” said Volker Türk, head of the UN human rights office (OHCHR), urging all parties to the conflict to “urgently pull back from the brink.”
 

South Sudan President Salva Kiir sacked three deputies and the secretary-general of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) late on Tuesday, state media reported, in a party reshuffle that has sparked speculation about his succession plans.

Amnesty International urged the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday to enforce a renewed arms embargo on South Sudan, alleging the recent presence of Ugandan troops was “in clear breach” of the order.

Introduced by the United States and supported by 11 other Council members, the resolution extended the mandate of UNMISS until 30 April next year. This action follows a short nine-day “technical rollover” approved by the Council on 30 April to allow more time for negotiations.