“Consent of South Sudan. would have been important as it would have given the force all the necessary freedoms to carry out the outlined mandate tasks”, said Akuei Bona Malwal.
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The U.N. Security Council took vigorous action Friday to greatly strengthen a peacekeeping force in South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, ravaged by civil war and suffering for almost three years. Russia, China, Venezuela, and Egypt all abstained, and said the measure violated South Sudan’s sovereignty.
The council voted to extend the current UN Mission in South Sudan, which involves 12,000 peacekeepers, to December as well as allocate a new force to secure the capital Juba.
The Security Council resolution, sponsored by the United States, represents an unusually robust action by the Council, invoking its rarely used coercive power to militarily intervene when global peace and security are considered to be threatened.
“Instead, as we all know, the Government of South Sudan’s troops are actively blocking United Nations personnel from carrying out their life saving work, which in some cases has led to the deaths of U.N. peacekeepers”, said USA deputy ambassador David Pressman.
Tens of thousands of civilians fled to the United Nations compound in Juba.
Under the resolution, the United Nations mission will be extended for at least three months, and a new 4,000-soldier “regional protection force” will be deployed in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, and other strategic locations, including the airport.
US Deputy Ambassador for UN, David Pressman, said: “Until the leaders of South Sudan are willing to put what is good for their people before themselves, putting peace ahead of personal ambition and power. the people of South Sudan will continue to suffer from the bloodshed and instability their leaders reap, “Reuters reported”.
South Sudan’s government has said it opposes the move, despite the United Nations resolution threatening an arms embargo if it blocks the new deployment. The proposal also wanted to impose an arms embargo on the world’s newest nation if the government does not offer cooperation.
Fighters from former First Vice President Riek Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition fought government troops loyal to Kiir in clashes that threatened to reignite the war.
A fragile peace agreement signed last August was to make Machar vice president, but fighting erupted last month between Kiir and Machar’s forces as the deal was in the process of being implemented.
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But then fighting broke out again between the two sides on July 7, killing hundreds. Machar has since fled the capital and Kiir has appointed a new vice president. He has refused to return to Juba unless more global troops are deployed.
