South Sudan

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Security Council decided to renew the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) today amid encouraging developments in that country’s peace process, including the beginning of efforts to form the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity.

In north-east Nigeria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that 7.9 million people — more than 1 out of every 2 people in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States — need aid in 2020.  With an upsurge in attacks in the area over the past year, aid agencies have been forced to scale down their work.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Wu Haitao (China):

Security Council members cautiously welcomed the new power-sharing agreement to end the conflict in South Sudan today, as they heard updates on recent developments from the senior United Nations official in that country and a national civil society representative.

The Middle East Peace Process Special Coordinator said today he was very concerned about Israel’s announcements regarding advancement of settlement construction in many areas in the occupied West Bank.  He said that all settlements are illegal under international law and remain a substantial obstacle to peace.

On 7 February 2020, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan held a meeting open to all Member States during which the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts briefed participants on the Panel’s interim report dated 22 November 2019 (document S/2019/897).

The Secretary-General visited the World Health Organization (WHO) crisis centre, praising the agency’s efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, urging countries to do their utmost to be prepared, and calling on donors to support WHO.  “If there is truly something stupid to do, it is to not fully fund WHO appeals,” he said.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

About 6.5 million people in South Sudan – more than half the country’s population – could face acute food insecurity at the height of the May-to-July hunger season, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP).