Unleashing the Outlook: South Sudan's Conflict Unraveled
International Security Council demands prompt cessation of hostilities in South Sudan - International body urges immediate cessation of combat in South Sudan by all parties involved
Tensions in South Sudan, formerly seceded from Sudan in 2011, have been knotty ever since. The nation, significant in oil reserves yet among the poorest globally, finds itself entangled once more in a volatile situation.
The Twisting Strands of History
South Sudan's tumultuous past includes a devastating civil war that commenced in 2013 and lasted till 2018. The underlying cause of this strife was a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar, which transcended political lines to escalate into an ethnic conflict between the Dinka and Nuer communities. In a bid to draw a line under the turmoil, the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) was inked in 2018.
War's Whispers Echo Again
The recipe for trouble was seemingly remixed in the recent months, with surging political instability and ethnic violence. Unrest has spread across various states including Upper Nile, Western Bahr el-Ghazal, Unity, and Jonglei. The White Army, an armed youth group, seized control of the town of Nasir in Upper Nile state, leading to government airstrikes and counterattacks against opposition forces. The house arrest of Vice President Riek Machar by President Kiir has further fueled tensions, casting dark shadows over the prospects of a return to full-scale war.
Steering the Course in Uncertain Waters: UN Security Council's Role
On May 8, 2025, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for another year through Resolution 2779, securing 12 votes in favor and 3 abstentions. This resolution came on the heels of a precarious security situation in the country with peace process on the brink of collapse.
A temporary extension of UNMISS's mandate till May 9 was granted before this prolongation, to accommodate further discussions.and Prior to this, the UNSC is expected to vote on an extension of South Sudan's sanctions regime, due to expire on May 31, and renew the mandate of the Panel of Experts aiding the sanctions committee.
While the UNSC hasn't explicitly altered the troop strength of UNMISS yet, the mission's mandate extension takes on a critical importance in preserving stability and supporting the fragile peace process in South Sudan. The situation is fragile, with interminable political tensions and violence casting a shadow over the region's stability.
- The community policy, as expressed by the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) signed in 2018, aims to reconcile the long-standing political differences between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar.
- Cooperation between the international community and South Sudan is crucial, as seen in the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) extension of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) mandate for another year through Resolution 2779, in a bid to preserve stability and support the fragile peace process.
- Cooperation among the South Sudanese communities is essential to prevent the deterioration of the situation, as the recent surging political instability and ethnic violence in states like Upper Nile, Western Bahr el-Ghazal, Unity, and Jonglei demonstrate.
- The peacekeeping operations of UNMISS play a vital role in deterring the escalation of war-and-conflicts in South Sudan, as demonstrated by their mandate extension, and the anticipated continuation of the sanctions regime and the Panel of Experts aiding the sanctions committee.
