South Sudan’s fragile peace hinges on addressing impunity and corruption, UN Warns

NEW YORK – The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, an independent body tasked by the UN Rights Council to monitor South Sudan’s human rights situation, has warned that the country’s fragile peace prospects are being undermined by rampant impunity and corruption.

Speaking to the UN General Assembly yesterday, Commission member Barney Afako highlighted the suffering of the South Sudanese people and expressed disappointment over the lack of political will to implement the Revitalized Peace Agreement.

“South Sudanese across all social spectrums are suffering immensely from the catastrophic deteriorating humanitarian and economic crises. They are tired of waiting for political leaders to end their obfuscation in implementing the peace agreement,” Afako said.

“The people desperately want an accountable and responsive government that is committed to their wellbeing and will deliver on its human rights obligations and guarantee protection for citizens”, he added.

Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, expressed deep concern over the two-year extension of the transitional period, announced by President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar in September, which has further delayed much-needed elections.

“The crucial issue facing South Sudanese is not merely delay or lack of elections: it is the sabotage of the democratic transformation they are entitled to, and the mounting human consequences of this abject failure to protect and respond to the social and economic entitlements of citizens,” Sooka said.

The Commission highlighted a number of pressing issues, including the continued failure to implement key provisions of the peace agreement, such as the unification of armed forces and the establishment of transitional justice mechanisms.

Commissioner Afako said that these failures have contributed to ongoing armed violence, displacement, and human rights abuses, including sexual violence, the recruitment of child soldiers, and extrajudicial killings.

“The persistent violence, which often takes on ethnic dimensions, follows a clear pattern of political competition and contestation over territory and economic resources – and is enabled by the absence of effective security and justice responses,” he said.

Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández, a member of the Commission, emphasized the importance of justice and accountability in breaking the cycle of violence.

“Justice and accountability processes are the only way to break the cycle of violence and atrocities in South Sudan. Criminal accountability sends a clear message to perpetrators, and it is crucial in a country where citizens continuously suffer at the hands of conflicting parties that repeatedly commit violations,” he said.

“South Sudan needs strong judicial reforms matched by requisite funding so that justice actors can function effectively and impartially, without interference. At the same time, the establishment of the three transitional justice mechanisms, is essential to address the legacies of conflict and human rights violations, and to prevent their recurrence,” he added.

The Commission also raised concerns about widespread corruption and the mismanagement of public funds, which has exacerbated the country’s economic crisis and hindered the provision of essential services and further called on South Sudan’s political leaders to prioritize democratic reforms, combat corruption, and invest in peace and justice.