South Sudan’s government agreed to the deployment of an additional 4,000 peacekeepers on behalf of the United Nations Security Council on Sunday, according to a statement from the United Nations.
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The Security Council delegation is led by the Permanent Representatives of the Missions of Senegal and the United States, comprising representatives of all the other permanent and rotating member states of the 15-nation body. “And this came on the line that some of our neighbouring countries have already developed conflicting interests”, said Ateny. “So our government will negotiate on those things to see which countries are going to contribute to this force and also the kind of equipment they are going to bring to the country”.
The meeting began late afternoon in the presidential palace in the capital Juba, where clashes between President Salva Kiir’s guards and troops loyal to his former deputy Riek Machar erupted on July 8, shattering a fragile truce that has been breached several times.
“The worldwide community is extremely frustrated with the obstruction of United Nations peacekeeping operations that has gone on for too long”, said Power, who, along with Senegal, is co-leading the three-day Security Council visit.
“That means nothing is fully concluded without such consultations in place”, Ateny warned.
“The transitional government of national unity gave its consent for the deployment”, Lomoro said.
Minister of Information Michael Makuei said there will be no force if the conditions are not met.
The visiting Security Council diplomats met with civilians who pleaded for the new protection force.
“We can even agree on 10”, Lueth said.
But a resolution which passed 11-0 with four abstentions gave the United Nations far more authority in South Sudan, backed by thousands of additional troops and lethal force if needed, to protect civilians and pressure armed antagonists in the conflict including government soldiers. “But if they refuse the cooperation, they might force the Security Council to go to plan B of what they have said, which is peace enforcement accompanied by arms embargo and sanctions”, Okuk said.
“We as a council sent an unequivocal message that “yes, this force is still needed”, she told reporters.
UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner George Okoth-Obbo, who was on a three-day visit to South Sudan, said the new camp, which was opened in coordination with local authorities and South Sudan’s Commission for Refugee Affairs, will ensure refugee access to quality services.
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The Security Council delegation visited a camp housing people, mostly of Machar’s Nuer ethnicity, who fled the bloody fighting. The council ambassadors are due to meet with African Union officials in Ethiopia on Monday.
