The Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Nicholas Haysom says that the ongoing conflict in Sudan is fuelling unrest in South Sudan, where economic hardship and political uncertainty have intensified.
Haysom while speaking to the security Council reported that the unrest has led to killing of South Sudanese in Wad Madani.
The unrest has caused the average cost food basket to rise by 200 percent, the inflation rate stands at 107 percent, and approximately ten months of government salaries are unpaid.
In a further development, the South Sudanese government has requested UNMISS to vacate part of its headquarters within 45 days, a move that Haysom described as imposing significant cost and a logistical timetable that the organisation do not currently have resources to accommodate. He noted that movement restrictions on peacekeepers in some areas further complicate UNMISS operations but emphasized the mission’s commitment to constructive dialogue through the High-Level Coordination Committee.
Economic instability has been exacerbated by disruptions to oil exports, a key revenue source for South Sudan “because of the conflict in the Republic of Sudan.
Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission Charles Tai Gituai said the main pipeline transporting about 60 percent of crude oil to Port Sudan that was damaged is yet to be repaired. Consequently, revenue earnings fell considerably.
Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, stressed that credible elections hinge on necessary government action. Yakani emphasised the need for timely political decision from the presidency, unification of forces, as well as, adequate and timely financing of the elections with a clear timeline.
According to Nicholas Haysom, as South Sudan enters the fourth extension of its transitional period under the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, there is a growing consensus that further delays are untenable. While the South Sudanese people have been patient, expectations are mounting for leaders to meet the benchmarks set out in the peace process without additional extensions.
