South Sudan is on the verge of another civil war, according to the head of the United Nations mission in the nation. The reasons behind the impending conflict are tied to President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar’s disregard for the people’s interests. After being postponed by the government, the new round of peace talks may have increased the tensions in the already volatile country.
The UN’s highest representative in South Sudan stated that the situation is extremely dire. The success of international peace efforts relies on Kiir and Machar’s willingness to engage in constructive dialogues and prioritize their citizens’ needs over their own. South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, gained independence in 2011 after years of fighting. In 2013, however, it plunged into an ethnically-rooted civil war between Kiir’s ethnic Dinka forces and Machar’s Nuer supporters.
Over 400,000 people died and the country suffered a great deal before the 2018 peace agreement, establishing a unity government. Although elections were initially scheduled for 2023, they have been postponed twice, and are now expected in 2026.
In recent times, tensions have escalated in northern South Sudan, where government troops have been struggling against the White Army, a militia believed to be aligned with Machar. On 4 March, the White Army reportedly overran a garrison, leading to a violent government response, including surrounding Machar’s residence and imprisoning several of his supporters.
A UN helicopter evacuating government soldiers from Nasir was attacked shortly after, resulting in several fatalities.
Increasing political tensions
Additionally, the head of the UN mission warned that as elections draw near, tensions and violence are intensifying between long-time rivals Kiir and Machar. He also noted that the lack of trust between the two leaders creates an atmosphere that undermines the necessary leadership to enforce the 2018 peace accord and bring South Sudan a stable and democratic future.
“Given this grim situation, we are left with no other conclusion but to assess that South Sudan is teetering on the edge of a relapse into civil war,” he stated. A return to conflict could make South Sudan experience the same atrocities that occurred in 2013 and 2016 when violence left communities devastated and millions displaced.
To address the crisis, the UN peacekeeping mission, comprising almost 18,000 personnel, is engaging in intense diplomatic negotiations with international and regional stakeholders including the African Union. The unified message is for Kiir and Machar to meet, recommit to the 2018 peace deal, maintain the ceasefire, release detained officials and resolve disputes through dialogue instead of military combat.
