Delivered by: Ameirah AlHefeiti, Deputy Permanent Representative

UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION

Check against delivery.

Mr. President,

First, I would like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Nicholas Haysom, for his comprehensive briefing and to express our appreciation for the efforts he and his team are making to support peace in South Sudan, including his continued engagement with regional countries in support of the Revitalized Agreement.

I also thank Ambassador Biang for updating the Council on the work of the 2206 Sanctions Committee and commend his tireless efforts as Committee Chair, and his outstanding leadership of the recent visit by Council members to assess the progress made. I also welcome the representative of South Sudan to this meeting.

Mr. President,

Our meeting today coincides with South Sudan entering the final phase of its transitional period. This requires a strong partnership among the various segments of society and at all levels nationally to achieve the desired progress and fulfill aspirations of the people of South Sudan. In this context, I would like to focus on three issues:

First, the UAE expresses its concern about the continued deterioration of the security situation for civilians. We reiterate the recent call by the Security Council in its Press Statement to contain the violence and defuse tension between the affected communities. We believe that restoring security and enhancing stability in South Sudan in a sustainable manner requires addressing the root causes of violence and establishing a culture of peace at the societal level while working to strengthen the capabilities of security institutions. The first batch of Necessary Unified Forces was deployed last month, we hope that this step will contribute to improving security conditions and ending the cycle of violence between communities.

We underscore here the important role played by UNMISS in protecting civilians by encouraging dialogue and facilitating reconciliation between communities. We believe that the independent assessment presented by the Secretary-General on UNMISS’ implementation of its mandate related to the protection of civilians, and the practical recommendations it contains, will enable the UN to bring about the greatest possible positive change on the ground. We also appreciate the special role played by UNMISS in addressing and preventing sexual violence.

Second, we hope that efforts will be redoubled during the coming period to accelerate the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement road map. We believe that recent gains, notably the passage of critical legislation to enable the elections and constitution-making processes, are reason for optimism. 

We believe that the trilateral mechanism – represented by the AU, IGAD, and UNMISS – plays an important role in this area, particularly in the context of the preparations for the elections and meeting related deadlines.

As South Sudan heads into its next phase, the role of women in building and developing the society remains critical and must be an integral part of the electoral process. Capacity-building for women and girls through access to education and employment and putting in place measures to ensure their full, equal, meaningful and safe participation is critical.

The members of the Security Council’s Informal Expert Group on WPS are concluding their field visit to South Sudan. As Co-Chairs with Switzerland, the UAE sincerely thanks South Sudan and UNMISS for receiving the delegation and their efforts in facilitating the visit, which will contribute to the Council’s efforts to support the implementation of the WPS agenda on the ground.

Third, while focusing on the complex security and political challenges, we must not lose sight of the difficult humanitarian conditions in South Sudan, which require a comprehensive response that considers all exacerbating factors, such as the continuation of violence, the influx of displaced persons and returnees whose basic needs are not met, and attacks on humanitarian personnel.

In this context, we stress the need to focus on climate change as one of the most important challenges that greatly affects the humanitarian situation in South Sudan, specifically in terms of its repercussions on pastoral and agricultural communities. Therefore, we stress the importance of climate-related initiatives, such as the appointment of a climate, peace, and security advisor in the Office of the United Nations Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, and the initiatives currently being conducted by UNMISS on Climate Peace and Security, in order to reach sustainable solutions to these issues in a way that helps societies adapt to climate crisis.

In conclusion, I affirm the UAE’s commitment to supporting all efforts to promote peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of South Sudan.

Thank you, Mr. President.