The UN Security Council convened to address the worsening crisis in South Sudan, where political instability, climate challenges, and escalating violence continue to undermine peace efforts.

Eloy Alfaro de Alba, President of the Security Council and Permanent Representative of Panama to the United Nations, emphasised that South Sudan is facing compounding crises. Political instability, devastating floods, and rising communal tensions are threatening the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement. These challenges have fuelled inter-communal violence, triggered an influx of refugees and returnees, and further strained already overstretched basic services. Alfaro urged South Sudanese leaders to de-escalate tensions, return to dialogue, and take urgent steps to prevent further violence and secure a lasting peace.

Martha Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, underscored the seriousness of the security situation. She reported that since last year, South Sudan’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) have launched offensives against the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), including aerial bombardments and ground operations. These actions, she noted, have violated Chapter II of the peace agreement, resulting in deadly displacement and widespread destruction of civilian property and infrastructure, including hospitals and schools.

Pobee stressed that the international community—including the African Union, the United Nations, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)—has repeatedly called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the de-escalation of tensions. She reaffirmed that the Revitalised Peace Agreement remains the only viable framework to break the cycle of violence, move the country forward, and advance its transition towards democratic elections.