South Sudan is facing one of Africa’s largest displacement crises. On South Sudan’s 9th Independence day UNHCR appealed for lasting peace in the country and an end to the violence.  Several notable steps towards peace have been taken in South Sudan like the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict signed in 2018, and the formation of a Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity in February 2020. As Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees noted ‘It’s crucial that South Sudan continues on the road to lasting peace. After years of conflict, the South Sudanese people deserve the chance to return to their homes, to live in safety in their communities and to focus on building a bright and prosperous future’.

South Sudan has shown commitment to welcoming refugees fleeing persecution and war. During Covid-19 also, South Sudan has accepted hundreds of refugees coming from the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) and the Central African Republic (CAR). South Sudan also signed the Kampala Convention to protect the rights of Internally Displaced People (IDP), which is another milestone for South Sudan.

However, South Sudan has seen increasing violence in 2020, especially in areas of Jonglei and Central Equatoria. The violence is a great threat to efforts of stabilization. This increase in violence has led tens of thousands of people to flee and hundreds have lost their lives. Sexual violence, abduction and destruction of people’s properties remain prevalent.

Ending violence in South Sudan is more imperative than ever as the country is facing Covid-19. Since the government has imposed restrictions on movement in the country to contain the spread of Covid-19, providing humanitarian aid is becoming more difficult than ever. UNHCR has called for implementing a ceasefire on all parties involved in the violence, particularly as the pandemic is expected to reach its peak in the coming months. Efforts must be taken to control the spread of viruses as the country’s health system is weakened by years of conflict.

To read more, please visit:  

https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2020/7/5f05b48d4/unhcr-calls-south-sudan-leaders-reinvigorate-peace-efforts-9th-anniversary.html#:~:text=Nine%20years%20since%20South%20Sudan,to%20Africa's%20largest%20displacement%20crisis.

https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/unhcr-calls-south-sudan-leaders-reinvigorate-peace-efforts-9th-anniversary

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/0PYRBANy/unhcr-calls-on-south-sudan-leaders-to-reinvigorate-peace-efforts-on-9th-anniversary-of-independence

https://globalimpactnews.com/2020/07/09/unhcr-calls-on-south-sudan-leaders-to-reinvigorate-peace-efforts-on-9th-anniversary-of-independence/

Author: Saumya Bhardwaj