South Sudan

South Sudan’s main opposition accused the government on Wednesday of failing to push through a peace deal and called for a six-month delay in the formation of a unity administration, casting a shadow over efforts to end years of fighting.

The Joint Technical Committee for Border Demarcation (JTCB) between Sudan and South Sudan on Tuesday signed an agreement on the full delimitation of the joint border parts between the two neighbouring nations.

In a visit to South Sudan this past weekend, members of the UN Security Council urged leaders to expedite implementation of a 2018 peace agreement aimed at ending six years of ongoing conflict.

South Sudan's exiled opposition leader Riek Machar arrived in Juba on Saturday in a bid to salvage a peace deal with less than a month to go until he is to form a government with President Salva Kiir.

At least 194,954 civilians are currently seeking safety in six Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites located on United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) bases, the UN said.

[…] Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch said in separate reports this week that failure to constitute the hybrid court to try those who have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, would have a negative impact on reconciliation and national healing.

The U.S. ambassador to South Sudan, Thomas Hushek, said the U.S. stands ready to impose more sanctions if President Salva Kiir's administration does not implement the deal to end South Sudan's civil conflict.

The call follows the publication of a report detailing how corporations have profited from the country's civil war. The investigation by The Sentry organization — co-founded by actor George Clooney — shows the links among armed groups involved in the civil war, global oil giants, and British and American citizens.

Forced recruitment of child soldiers is increasing in South Sudan despite a peace deal last year, the head of a United Nations investigating body said on Monday, adding that a return to full-blown conflict remained a possibility.

One year on from the signing of a Revitalized Agreement to ease conflict in South Sudan, the country’s political leaders “have met some, but certainly not all”, of the expectations laid out, the top UN official for the country told the Security Council on Wednesday. Briefing the Council in New York, Special Representative and head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), David Shearer, explained developments and downfalls he’s witnessed since the official peace ceremony last year.