(NEW YORK) – France has told the United Nations Security Council that the situation in South Sudan remains highly fragile, warning that the country faces serious risks unless its leaders recommit to the 2018 revitalised peace agreement.
In a statement delivered on 18 August, France’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Jay Dharmadhikari, said the peace deal continues to be the only framework capable of offering South Sudan a chance for stability and development. He stressed that any steps against the agreement only increase tensions.
France echoed the African Union’s repeated calls for the cessation of hostilities and the release of First Vice President Riek Machar, who remains under restrictions. Dharmadhikari noted that while the transitional government has made some efforts to modernise its financial systems and administrative structures, real progress is still needed in two key areas: the deployment of the Unified Forces and the drafting of a permanent constitution. Both steps, he said, are essential to preparing for free, fair and transparent elections that would allow South Sudan to complete its political transition.
The French envoy also called for strict respect for the arms embargo on South Sudan, which the Security Council renewed in May. He said the wider regional instability, particularly the war in neighbouring Sudan, is worsening South Sudan’s own security challenges. France urged all states to avoid actions that could fuel further violence in either South Sudan or Sudan.
Dharmadhikari reaffirmed France’s support for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Nicholas Haysom. He raised concern over increasing restrictions placed on the movement of UNMISS personnel, which he said violate the Status of Forces Agreement and obstruct the mission’s mandate. He urged South Sudanese authorities and all political actors to cooperate fully with UNMISS, describing it as a key stabilising force.
The French diplomat said the international community must not abandon the people of South Sudan, who continue to face forced displacement, violence, floods, food insecurity, and outbreaks of disease. He strongly condemned repeated attacks on humanitarian workers, reminding all parties that aid personnel must be protected under international law. He added that safe and unhindered humanitarian access remains essential to reaching millions of people in need.
France’s statement comes at a time when more than 70 percent of South Sudan’s population depends on humanitarian aid for survival, according to UN estimates. Rising violence in Upper Nile, Jonglei and other states has further displaced families, while ongoing flooding has damaged farmland and cut off communities from relief supplies.