The Embassies of Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States have expressed deep concern over the escalating hostilities in several parts of South Sudan, warning that the renewed violence poses a serious threat to the country’s fragile peace process.
In a joint statement, the embassies condemned the ongoing violations of the ceasefire and the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), describing the flare-up in fighting as a blatant breach of commitments made by South Sudanese leaders.
“We specifically condemn the repeated attacks on civilians, humanitarian workers, and medical facilities, which are protected under international humanitarian law,” the statement read. “These acts of violence are only worsening the suffering of the South Sudanese people.”
The embassies also raised alarm over the rising cases of inter-communal violence across various states and reports of humanitarian access being obstructed.
Calling for immediate action, the diplomatic missions urged South Sudan’s leadership to work collectively to end the violence. They emphasized the urgent need to release all political detainees, including the First Vice President, to pave the way for genuine dialogue, which they described as the only path to achieving lasting peace in the country.
