South Sudan government call outs on U.N new Sanctions saying the move is counterproductive

Ajouté : 2026-06-03

[00:00:03]I'm looking for a solution.

[00:00:07]This is why [music] I bring somebody today, tomorrow I kick him out and bring another person.

[00:00:17]>> And here in the south, we have no political detainees.

[00:00:21]What we have in the prisons are criminals who are charged.

[00:00:28]I now invite His Excellency Dr. John Garang DeMabior, chairman of the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement and Army, SPLM, SPLA.

[00:00:58]>> Ladies and gentlemen, the government of the Republic of South Sudan, led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit, has condemned the new sanctions that has been imposed by the United Nation on the country.

[00:01:13]Now, about 2 days or 3 days ago, the United Nations Security Council convened and they passed a resolution that renewed the sanctions on South Sudan.

[00:01:25]And the sanctions include one, ban from travel, which it's targeting individual politicians within the government of the Republic of South Sudan.

[00:01:35]Uh asset freeze, which involved um uh which which means that uh some targeted politicians or business individuals that operates in South Sudan, their assets that are abroad or the money that they store in their banks or in their bank accounts that are in foreign countries, especially the United States, are not going to be accessible.

[00:01:59]But also the UN-imposed arms embargo, which means that the ability of the country to sell, I mean, to buy military weapons is going to be limited, or it's not going to be there at all.

[00:02:11]South Sudan will not have that ability to buy military weapons from any country. They will not train their military personnel or get any funding for military activities.

[00:02:21]Now, UN renewed the sanctions, and one of the major countries that was standing behind this renewal of sanctions is the United States of America.

[00:02:29]The United States of America was one of the countries that actually passed the renewal, uh uh the the renewal of the of the sanctions.

[00:02:37]Because the United Nations Security Council comprises of 15 member states.

[00:02:42]And for any United Nations Security Council resolution to be passed, there has to be nine members that agree on that specific resolution.

[00:02:50]So, about 3 days ago, when the United Nations Security Council sat down to review the sanctions on South Sudan, nine of the 15 members agreed that the sanctions be renewed.

[00:03:03]And the United States of America was one of them. France was one of them.

[00:03:08]Britain was one of them, and other member states that form the United Security Council.

[00:03:14]Now, countries that abstain from passing that uh approval or approving the renewal of the sanctions include China, Russia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, Liberia, and Somalia, which is the six.

[00:03:29]The six members abstained from renewing it.

[00:03:32]Now, during that Security Council, when the sanctions were renewed, the United Nation alternate representative for I mean, for political affairs, that is called Jennifer Lotzeda, gave a very very painful description of how the government of South Sudan lacks the political will to actually implement the revitalized peace agreement.

[00:03:57]And the representative of the United States say there is a total lack of political will by the government of the Republic of South Sudan led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit in making sure that there is total peace and implementation of all the provisions of the revitalized peace agreement. And for that reason, the United States was deeply behind the renewal of the sanctions.

[00:04:22]Now, uh a couple of days ago, the government of the Republic of South Sudan through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation came out and spoke against the sanctions that were passed on the country or imposed on the country.

[00:04:37]The United I mean the the the South Sudan Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the spokesperson that is called Aggrey Tisa Sabuni spoke out and this is what he said. I want us to listen to what the uh spokesperson of South Sudan foreign ministry, that is uh Ambassador Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, let's hear.

[00:04:56]>> of the Republic of South Sudan formally responds to the recent statement made in explanation of vote following adoption of the UN Security Council resolution renewing the United renewing the South Sudan sanctions regime and the political situation in South Sudan and observations regarding His Excellency General Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Republic of South Sudan.

[00:05:28]South Sudan recognizes the United States as a consequential partner whose support from the comprehensive peace agreement through independence and beyond has been valued by the government and the people of South Sudan.

[00:05:44]This appreciation for shared history is precisely why the government considered it necessary to respond respectfully but clearly to the characterization to believe do not accurately reflect the current realities.

[00:06:03]The government categorically rejects any portrayal that misrepresents the leadership of His Excellency General Salva Kiir Mayardit.

[00:06:15]His Excellency Kiir Mayardit remains the principal implementer of the revitalized agreement on the resolution of conflict in the Republic of South Sudan and has demonstrated consistent personal commitment to national unity inclusive peace and reconciliation.

[00:06:35]The formation of the revitalized transitional government of national unity is stands as a concrete evidence of that commitment.

[00:06:46]The government acknowledges that South Sudan continues to face significant challenges institutional, economic, humanitarian, and social.

[00:06:58]These are the realities of a young post-conflict nation navigating an navigating an extraordinary and complex transition.

[00:07:09]However, acknowledging challenges is not an admission of failure.

[00:07:14]Taking into consideration not only domestic challenges but the prevailing challenges in the Middle East the Sudan and Ukraine directly affects the economic situation in South Sudan.

[00:07:29]Progress has been made in implementations of the peace agreement.

[00:07:35]Security sector reform cantonment political party consultations and regional cooperation.

[00:07:43]The government remains firmly committed to accelerating that progress.

[00:07:49]The government of South Sudan holds a clear and principled position.

[00:07:54]Renewed sanctions and continued continuation of arms embargo would be counterproductive.

[00:08:01]I repeat, the government holds a clear and principled position.

[00:08:06]Renewed sanctions and continuation of the arms embargo would be counterproductive.

[00:08:12]>> Yeah.

[00:08:13]So, that is what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs say. They condemned that and they say that they value the relationship, the long-standing relationship between the government of South Sudan and the United States, especially the help that United States has actually facilitated in making sure South Sudan attain independence, but also the help they continue to deliver to the country post-independence. But, the government of the Republic of South Sudan through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disagreed on the characterization of the government led by President Salva Kiir by the United States. And they say what the US representative described does not represent what President Kiir is. And they the Ministry of Foreign Affairs say that President Salva Kiir is the number one implementer and the principle of the revitalized peace agreement. And what the US is saying is not a true reflection of the government led by President Kiir.

[00:09:10]That is what the United the government of the Republic of South Sudan is saying.

[00:09:14]But, let's see. Why why why is the government of South Sudan so much deeply against the sanction? Because one of the sanctions that appears to have paid the government of South Sudan is the imposition of arms embargo. Which the United States the aim of the United Nation the target of the United Nation imposing the arms embargo on the country is so that the country does not have the ability to actually purchase these military weapons that could be used to again engineer another circle of civil war.

[00:09:42]But that is not how the government of South Sudan looks at that. The government of the Republic of South Sudan says that the move by the United Nations, especially by the by the US, which is a very strong member state, very financially stable and powerful member state, is deeply against the implementation of the peace agreement, and that will lead to in insecurity in state in the country. And and and and reforms on different institution of government because the government claims that the the imposition of the arms embargo on the country is actually not going to allow the country secure arms or weapons that are supposed to be used to protect the lives of citizens in the country.

[00:10:21]And for that reason, they are saying that they condemned the move made by the United Nations and specifically the United States of America.

[00:10:29]Now, in that imposition, you can easily see how the superpowers are aligning with how the situation in South Sudan is actually developing.

[00:10:39]When we look at the the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, which includes the United States of America, they I mean, the United States of America, Britain, France, Russia, and China. Out of the five permanent member states, two of them abstain from from from passing that resolution, and that is Russia and China. So, that means Russia is so much attached to the government of the Republic of South Sudan. And the United Nation, I mean, the United States of America, through its special alternate representative, is saying that there is no dialogue that is likely to succeed in South Sudan when the major opposition leader is in detention and is being prosecuted, and when there is massive looting of public resources that are supposed to be used for uh providing services to the people. And the United Nations is saying if the government wants the peace agreement to be implemented, then they must release all political detainees including Riek Machar Tenk. And they should use the public resources for the benefit of the citizen.

[00:11:49]And that is what the United States is saying. But the government of the Republic of South Sudan is saying the characterization of President Kiir and his government by the United States is not accurate. And they condemned the sanctions imposed by the United Nations and the US on South Sudan, which includes one, the travel ban on specific leaders or individuals in the country who could include politicians and [clears throat] business individuals and their companies, uh the asset freeze, which means they're not going to have access to their assets abroad and their property, and also the arms embargo on the country. The government of South Sudan is not happy on about these sanctions. So that is what is transpiring or what is happening in the country, ladies and gentlemen.

[00:12:31]Write down in the comment section what you think about that. If you feel that it was a right move by the United Nations to renew the sanctions on South Sudan, or you feel the United Nations could have just stayed and lifted the sanctions and let the country access the weapons used for protecting citizens, or that could easily be used as well to engineer another cycle of war. Write down in the comment section what you think about that. Until next time, I'm Emmanuel Taban and this is The Concern Podcast.