EU urges South Sudan leaders to avert return to war

JUBA, South Africa

The European Union delegation in South Sudan has issued a stark warning about the country’s deteriorating security situation, particularly in the wake of recent clashes in Nasir County, Upper Nile.

The EU has called on South Sudan’s leaders to take immediate action to prevent the nation from plunging back into full-scale conflict.

The appeal comes as tensions rise in Juba and other areas, threatening to unravel the fragile 2018 peace agreement between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar.

Last Tuesday, clashes between an armed group and government forces in Nasir County led to the arrests of key allies of Mr. Machar, including the petroleum minister and a deputy army chief.

President Kiir’s faction has accused the White Army, a group of armed youth in Nasir, of having ties to Mr. Machar’s SPLA-IO forces—a claim that Mr. Machar’s camp has denied. 

ALSO READ: Uganda government has deployed commandos to save South Sudan President

Following the clashes, military personnel surrounded Mr. Machar’s residence in Juba, though no official explanation was given. Supporters of the first vice president have warned that the move could jeopardize the 2018 peace deal, which ended a five-year civil war between forces loyal to Mr. Machar and President Kiir.

Tensions escalated further last Friday when a United Nations helicopter evacuating South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) soldiers was fired upon in Nasir. The attack resulted in the deaths of an army commander, a UN crew member, and several others.

At a workshop hosted by the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) on Tuesday, EU Ambassador to South Sudan Timo Olkkonen emphasized the urgent need for peace mechanisms to promote calm and facilitate dialogue among all parties to the peace agreement.

“The recent events in different parts of the country, particularly in Upper Nile, highlight the critical need for mechanisms that uphold peace, keep dialogue channels open, and avoid unilateral actions or language that could further escalate the situation,” Mr. Olkkonen said.

He acknowledged differing interpretations of the events in Upper Nile but stressed that South Sudan’s leaders must take responsibility to prevent further conflict. “There are different interpretations of what has been transpiring in the recent weeks, and we hope that the responsibility obviously lies with the South Sudan leaders to tackle these issues and also make sure that they don’t lead to further conflict,” he added.

Mr. Olkkonen also called on peace monitors, including CTSAMVM, to play a more active role in addressing ceasefire violations. “We also hope that mechanisms such as CTSAMVM could be utilized in addressing these issues that are raising questions now about what part of it will happen,” he said.

The EU diplomat reiterated the need for South Sudanese leaders, particularly those who signed the 2018 peace agreement, to resolve their differences and prevent the country from descending back into war.

With ongoing conflicts in Upper Nile and Western Equatoria states, Mr. Olkkonen described the situation in South Sudan as increasingly complex and urged all peace partners to redouble their efforts to sustain stability.

The European Union is a major donor to South Sudan, providing humanitarian, development, and economic support.