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Thank you President, and also to SRSG Hessom and our briefers for their updates.
I welcome the update from the Permanent Representative of Gabon. I also welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of South Sudan at our meeting today.
President, I will make three broad points:
First, four months have passed since the government of South Sudan announced a two-year extension and subsequent roadmap to implement the peace accord––progress has been extremely slow.
The United Kingdom welcomes the passage of the Constitution Bill as well as the continued graduation of the necessary Unified Forces.
Such progress is long overdue and we urge the government to capitalize on this momentum and complete the remaining benchmarks within their agreed time frame. This is necessary to ensure free and fair elections before the end of the agreement.
Second, the need for government action to protect their citizens is nowhere more evident than in Upper Nile State; There, hundreds of civilians have died in the conflict.
The United Kingdom condemns this attack on civilians. We are gravely concerned about the potential implications of this conflict for the protection of the already severely overcrowded civilian site in Malakal and for broader peace in South Sudan.
We call on the government to create the conditions for an inclusive dialogue to protect civilians and prevent violence. Military intervention should not escalate existing tensions or pose additional risks to civilians.
We reiterate our call to the Government of South Sudan to immediately remove obstacles and address violence against humanitarian workers and civilians.
Third, the situation in Upper Nile, and the increasing level of insecurity throughout South Sudan, requires an urgent response from the international community to help save lives.
The United Kingdom appreciates the efforts of UNMISS to provide security to civilians and its coordination with South Sudan.
A coherent, across-the-UN approach is needed across humanitarian, development and peace priorities, and we support the Secretary-General’s encouragement for governments and partners to implement a common effort.
In conclusion, President, the United Kingdom is committed to the people of South Sudan’s pursuit of peace, prosperity and democracy. We once again call on the leadership to bring about real change for its people. thank you
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