The United States has noted that the implementation of components of a peace deal signed since 2018 is taking too much time to implement by the South Sudan leadership.
In a yet to be published report, the U.S State Department accused the unity government of failing to meet key milestones, and being too slow in the implementation of crucial commitments as contained in the 2018 deal.
South Sudan, on July 9, 2011, became the newest country in the world, having gained their independence from Sudan. The birth of the Republic of South Sudan was the result of a six-year peace process and a new chapter in a region that has seen little peace in the last 50 years.
However, barely two years later, the two countries resorted to fighting again, when forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader, now first Vice President, Riek Machar clashed in the capital. The conflict quickly escalated into a civil war that took the lives of over 400,000 people, which is what gave rise to the peace deal.
The signing of the peace by South Sudan calmed the otherwise bloody situation, but until date, hunger and deadly clashes have continued across the country as there are still many unresolved issues.
The constant clashes have worsened the humanitarian situation in South Sudan, as large parts of the population are internally displaced and over half are languishing in poverty and hunger, with heavy flooding making it even worse.
“Ten years after independence, South Sudan remains a deeply fragile nation beset by weak governance, pervasive insecurity, fiscal mismanagement, and widespread corruption,” the report to the congress read.
Owing to all of these, the State Department report also pointed that out that government lacks “the discipline and transparency in managing public finances and has low capacity to manage South Sudan’s oil-dependent budget, resulting in large-scale corruption and insufficient transparency.”
The report further warned that Washington would continue to impose costs on those who perpetuate the conflict. The United States had previously imposed sanctions on individuals and entities over the conflict in the country.
South Sudan leadership has been urged to maintain a sustained reform, transparency and accountability, and not drive national and regional violence.
