The South Sudan government voiced its dissatisfaction on Wednesday with the United Nations’ decision to extend the arms embargo on the country, claiming that it disregards the progress made in implementing the revitalized peace agreement.
The U.N. Security Council’s resolution, renewed for another year on Tuesday morning, faced objections from the world’s newest nation and abstentions from Russia, China, and three African nations on the council sympathetic to South Sudan’s appeals for sanctions to be lifted.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, South Sudan denounced the extension, describing it as deplorable.
The government asserted that the decision fails to acknowledge the significant advancements in implementing the Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), which was signed in 2018.
“The UNSC Resolution of May 30th, 2023, renewing sanctions and the arms embargo on the country, is deplorable,” the statement expressed.
“It has not taken into account the significant strides that the Government has made in implementing the Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) as well as developmental progress in the country.”
The government’s statement further criticized the United States, the resolution’s drafter, accusing them of being “oblivious to the suffering of the people of South Sudan.”
It highlighted the adverse effects of sanctions, not only on the targeted individuals or groups but also on trade, commerce, the economy, and the overall peace and security that the resolution’s proponents aim to maintain.
