The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has warned that South Sudan’s fragile peace process is in danger of collapse amid rising violence, political tensions, and worsening humanitarian conditions.
Addressing the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Lacroix said developments over the past three months “continued to move in a negative and possibly dangerous direction,” with increasing ceasefire violations, aerial bombardments, and renewed clashes among signatories of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.
He cited the unilateral removal of opposition officials from the Transitional Government and the detention of First Vice President Riek Machar and other SPLM/A-IO leaders as serious violations of the peace deal, warning that these actions had deepened mistrust among key actors.
“The trust deficit between key role players has widened as the peace process seems to be unraveling,” Lacroix said, stressing that the Revitalized Peace Agreement remains “the only viable framework for long-term peace and stability” in South Sudan.
Lacroix urged South Sudan’s leaders to engage in inclusive dialogue and resume collaboration with regional guarantors including the African Union (AU), IGAD, and the Troika to salvage the transition process ahead of elections scheduled for December 2026.
He cautioned that without political compromise and concrete electoral preparations, “credible and peaceful elections appear increasingly improbable.”
The UN peacekeeping chief painted a grim picture of the humanitarian situation, noting that 7.5 million people are facing acute food insecurity, 28,000 are at risk of famine, and over one million have been displaced by floods.
The ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan, he said, has driven more than 1.2 million refugees and returnees into an already overstretched South Sudan.
Lacroix also condemned ongoing conflict-related sexual violence, arbitrary detentions, and extrajudicial killings, calling on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and ensure accountability.
Lacroix expressed deep concern about the financial crisis affecting the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), which he said has been forced to close some field offices and repatriate personnel under an UN-wide contingency plan.
He revealed that while the South Sudanese government had initially expressed support, it later issued “impractical conditions” that could undermine the mission’s ability to operate.
“Unless there is greater understanding and flexibility from the Government, the Mission’s ability to fulfill its mandate will be severely compromised the future of that Mission is totally at stake,” he warned.
Lacroix underscored that despite financial pressures, UNMISS remains essential for protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian aid, and maintaining stability until the end of the transition period. He also called on the government to respect the Status of Forces Agreement and ensure the safety of UN personnel and assets.
Concluding his remarks, Lacroix urged South Sudan’s leaders to take a “citizen-centered approach” and recommit to political inclusivity and the principles of the peace accord. He also appealed to the international community to remain united and engaged as regional instability continues to spill over from the war in Sudan.
“Time is running dangerously short,” he said. “South Sudan’s only path to stability and lasting peace lies in full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement. The region cannot afford another conflict the people of South Sudan have suffered far too much and for far too long.”
