December 29, 2019 (JUBA/Washington) – The Sentry and the Enough Project laud the action today by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as it sanctioned two individuals for expanding or extending the conflict in South Sudan including by obstructing the reconciliation process or peace talks.
John Prendergast, Co-Founder of The Sentry, said: “These actions by the Treasury Department are a critical signal to the warring parties that the usual obstruction of the peace process is no longer acceptable.
The international community should accelerate preparations to dramatically increase the pressure on any spoilers in the event that upcoming negotiations fail to generate progress on the issue of state borders or other contentious questions. To build more significant leverage ahead of the February deadline, the United States and Europe should use targeted financial measures accompanied by a diplomatic surge to sway the calculations of South Sudanese officials across the political divide.
To begin to alter the incentive structure away from continued war and looting, the international community should target the spoiler networks undermining peace in the country, including officials in the highest levels of South Sudan’s government and in the ranks of the armed opposition, along with their commercial facilitators inside and outside South Sudan.”
Brian Adeba, Deputy Director of Policy at the Enough Project, said: Officials with decision-making authority across the political divide in South Sudan have been at the forefront of obstructing and undermining the peace process through their uncompromising stance that puts their personal interests before that of the common masses. This measure by the Treasury Department chips away at their negative influence and holds the potential to advance the prospects for peace.
