By Alan Clement
South Sudan has reaffirmed its commitment to support avenues to end the ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan.
In a pointed appeal while addressing the 80th UN General Assembly, Vice President Josephine Lagu Yanga said there is a need for the United Nations and the world to put more efforts into ending conflict in Sudan.
She acknowledged that South Sudan, as the immediate neighbour to Sudan, remains overwhelmed by the influx of refugees.
The Vice President added that the country sheltered thousands of Sudanese refugees since conflict erupted in Sudan in 2023.
“Since the outbreak of conflict in Sudan in 2023, South Sudan has opened its doors for Sudanese refugees and returnees from Sudan. In partnership with international aid agencies, we are providing humanitarian assistance, and we have also gone further and given plots of land for refugees to cultivate and produce their own food, thus empowering and integrating them into our local communities,” VP Lagu told the assembly.
Also, VP Lagu’s speech highlights its balancing act in managing internal peace efforts while navigating unresolved disputes with Sudan while positioning South Sudan as a proactive actor in humanitarian response and diplomatic engagement and pushing for global reforms at the UN.
As the UN reviews its peacekeeping mandates and structural reforms, South Sudan’s appeal adds weight to calls for a more inclusive and responsive global system.
Beyond the immediate crisis, Lagu raised concerns over lingering issues from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005, particularly border demarcation and the final status of Abyei.
“There are still outstanding issues with respect to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (2005). Among these are the issue of border demarcation and the final status of Abyei, including the status of the Ngok Dinka of Abyei, which remain unresolved,” she said.
She reaffirmed South Sudan’s commitment to work with Khartoum to find an amicable solution to these concerns.
“We are committed to working with the government of Sudan to amicably resolve these outstanding issues,” she reaffirmed.
The Vice President criticized the current composition of the UN Security Council, saying it no longer reflects global realities, and backed Africa’s demand for permanent representation.