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President William Ruto has called on international community to intervene in the ongoing new conflict in South Sudan.

In a statement on Saturday, December 24, Ruto said there was need to address unfolding humanitarian crisis in the world’s youngest nation.

“As the world ushers in the festive season, which comes with hope for humanity, I note with great concern the escalation of hostilities in neighboring South Sudan between the signatories to the Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

“The increasing insecurity, violence, displacement, and unfolding humanitarian crisis are detrimental to the peace and stability of South Sudan and the East Africa region as a whole,” Ruto said.

He said women and children are suffering due to shortage of basic needs.

“Women and children bear the greatest brunt of the hostilities in the Upper Nile and Jonglei States and are in desperate need of food, water, shelter, and medical supplies.

“Regrettably, the widening political division is impairing any hopes for the resumption in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS),” he stated.

He added: “As a neighbour and guarantor of the South Sudan peace process, I, on behalf of Kenya, bring these concerning developments to the attention of the wider international community and call for a focus on immediate intervention geared towards de-escalation, peaceful resolution, and coexistence among the parties involved.”

The President said he has already called President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan to do all what he can to end the tension.

“Deeply disturbed by the evolving situation in South Sudan, I have today, the 24. of December 2022, spoken with my counterpart H.E. General Salva Kiir Mayardit, and strongly implored him -in concert with all parties involved- to deploy their best efforts to lead the country from the brink and back to a path of durable peace as envisioned in the R-ARCSS.

“I further urged H.E. General Salva Kiir Mayardit to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the affected communities,” he said.

Ruto further said his government has begun to send food and medical supplies donations to the most affected regions in Upper Nile and Jonglei States.

“Conscious of the resulting humanitarian situation and in the spirit of good neighbourlines and ethos of this season, I have directed that a shipment of foodstuff and essential medical supplies be immediately airlifted to Upper Nile and Jonglei States.

“Equally, I implore the international community to urgently provide all possible and relevant assistance to the Government of South Sudan to enable it to address this dire situation and return to the path of the peace process,” he stated.

Fighting erupted in the Upper Nile village of Tonga on 15 August. Violence has since spread further to northern parts of Jonglei and Unity states.  

And currently, conflict is spreading through Upper Nile’s Fashoda county, threatening the town of Kodok.  

UN intervention on South Sudan conflicts

UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths released from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) on Thursday, $14 million for direct assistance to 262,521 South Sudanese affected by increased violence and severe flooding.

Interconnected shocks have had a devastating impact on the most vulnerable, said the UN humanitarian office, OCHA.

“This funding will support reducing people’s vulnerability and protection risks through activities implemented by the United Nations humanitarian agencies in South Sudan,” stated Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan.

And it will ensure that the assistance reaches people in need “as quickly as possible,” she added.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO) are among the implementing agencies that will target those with the highest severity of needs.

Some people have undergone multiple shocks, which have led to secondary and tertiary displacements – triggering further protection risks and livelihood losses.

Benefitting from the newly allocated humanitarian funding will be people in the Unity, Upper Nile, Northern Bhar el Ghazel, Jonglei and Warrap states as well as in the Abyei Administrative Area.

South Sudan has struggled to end violence between armed groups and military forces since a so-called Revitalized Peace Agreement brokered by regional bloc IGAD, between the President and his main rival, was inked in 2018. Implementation has been slow.