{"id":224241,"date":"2022-05-11T19:05:49","date_gmt":"2022-05-11T17:05:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/peacekeeping-in-south-sudan-its-a-race-against-time-for-the-un\/"},"modified":"2022-05-11T19:05:49","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T17:05:49","slug":"peacekeeping-in-south-sudan-its-a-race-against-time-for-the-un","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/peacekeeping-in-south-sudan-its-a-race-against-time-for-the-un\/","title":{"rendered":"Peacekeeping in South Sudan: it&#8217;s a race against time for the UN"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/peacekeeping-in-south-sudan-its-a-race-against-time-for-the-un.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"><\/div>\n<p>A notable consequence of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-europe-56720589\">Russia\u2019s invasion<\/a> of Ukraine has been the near-complete breakdown of what was already a deeply fraught relationship among the permanent members of the UN Security Council.<\/p>\n<p>Unsurprisingly, the war has also drawn diplomatic focus and media attention away from a depressingly long list of other crises facing the world body.<\/p>\n<p>Efforts to overcome divisions and find common ground among key Council members on conflicts in places such as Syria and Mali have effectively ground to halt, giving way instead to a further sharpening of power rivalry and competition. <\/p>\n<p>Considering these developments, the Council\u2019s decision on 15 March 2022 to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/press\/en\/2022\/sc14830.doc.htm#:%7E:text=The%20Security%20Council%20decided%20today,human%20rights%20and%20climate%20change.\">renew the mandate<\/a> of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) stands out as a major achievement.<\/p>\n<p>Russia and China abstained in the final vote on mandate renewal. However, the decision ensures that the mission in South Sudan maintains its existing troop ceiling of 17,000 peacekeepers and 2,100 police officers for one more year.<\/p>\n<p>The mission, which was <a href=\"https:\/\/unmiss.unmissions.org\/background\">first established<\/a> in July 2011, will continue its focus on four major tasks: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>protecting civilians<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>supporting the delivery of humanitarian aid<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>assisting the peace process <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>monitoring violations of human rights.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The mandate extension grants South Sudan\u2019s Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity much-needed time to complete the implementation of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaceagreements.org\/viewmasterdocument\/2112\">peace agreement<\/a> reached in 2018.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p> <em> <strong> Read more: <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/south-sudan-peace-deal-offers-promising-end-to-conflict-but-challenges-remain-112167\">South Sudan peace deal offers promising end to conflict. But challenges remain<\/a> <\/strong> <\/em>\n<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>The agreement brought about a major reduction in violence arising from the <a href=\"https:\/\/carnegieendowment.org\/2019\/12\/12\/brief-guide-to-south-sudan-s-fragile-peace-pub-80570\">civil war<\/a> that started in 2013, two years into South Sudan\u2019s independence.<\/p>\n<p>As part of a transitional period, President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar formed a coalition government in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2020\/2\/22\/south-sudans-rival-leaders-form-coalition-government\">February 2020<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>The transitional period was expected to culminate in \u201cfree, fair and peaceful elections\u201d in early 2023.<\/p>\n<p>However, the realism of this ambition &#8211; given the many challenges and unresolved issues that lie ahead for South Sudan &#8211; is looking ever more questionable. That\u2019s because the implementation of the peace agreement\u2019s key provisions has stalled. It is now significantly behind schedule.<\/p>\n<h2>The roadblocks<\/h2>\n<p>Among the major concerns are a lack of progress on the writing of the constitution. There is also the coalition government\u2019s failure to agree on the details and the timetable for elections. This includes clarity around the UN mission\u2019s precise role in supporting the electoral process.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p> <em> <strong> Read more: <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/south-sudan-root-causes-of-ongoing-conflict-remain-untouched-133542\">South Sudan: root causes of ongoing conflict remain untouched<\/a> <\/strong> <\/em>\n<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>Aside from the technical and logistical arrangements required for credible elections to go ahead, there is a more formidable challenge. The country needs to establish a political, civic and security environment that is conducive to competitive electoral politics. This environment doesn\u2019t yet exist.<\/p>\n<p>Further, levels of local, sub-national and communal violence <a href=\"https:\/\/news.un.org\/en\/story\/2022\/04\/1116862\">remain high<\/a> and are increasing in parts of the country. Some <a href=\"https:\/\/news.un.org\/en\/interview\/2022\/04\/1116802\">eight million people<\/a> are facing severe food insecurity, and nearly two million remain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thenewhumanitarian.org\/analysis\/2022\/1\/5\/why-return-displaced-people-thorny-issue-South-Sudan\">internally displaced<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Even as it renewed the South Sudan mission\u2019s mandate and acknowledged signs of progress over the past year, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/press\/en\/2022\/sc14830.doc.htm#:%7E:text=The%20Security%20Council%20decided%20today,human%20rights%20and%20climate%20change.\">UN Security Council <\/a> expressed \u201cdeep concern regarding the political, security, economic and humanitarian crisis\u201d in the country.<\/p>\n<h2>Signs of progress<\/h2>\n<p>However, the UN mission\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/unmiss.unmissions.org\/\">record<\/a> in tackling multiple and interacting challenges should not be dismissed. The mission has responded in proactive ways to instability and persistent levels of violence in South Sudan. <\/p>\n<p>It has reduced static peacekeeping deployments in favour of creating more temporary operating bases. These have been set up near conflict hot spots. Combined with extensive patrolling, they have enhanced the peacekeeper\u2019s mobility and ability to respond in a timely fashion to threats against civilians. <\/p>\n<p>The mission has also encouraged community-level dialogue and supported the negotiation of numerous local peace agreements. This has helped build trust among communities and contributed further to the protection of civilians. <\/p>\n<p>However, despite these achievements, the larger picture remains bleak. <\/p>\n<p>The fundamentals of South Sudan\u2019s political economy of conflict and its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.accord.org.za\/conflict-trends\/rethinking-south-sudans-path-to-democracy\/\">militarised form of governance<\/a> have undermined the UN\u2019s limited capacities to control violence, let alone support the move towards more inclusive forms of governance.<\/p>\n<p>In late 2020, an independent strategic review of the South Sudan mission requested by the Security Council <a href=\"https:\/\/www.securitycouncilreport.org\/atf\/cf\/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D\/s_2020_1224.pdf\">concluded<\/a> that:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>achieving durable and inclusive peace in South Sudan requires addressing deeply entrenched power dynamics and political systems that have primarily fuelled violence rather than served to protect citizens and create conditions for them to prosper. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Those power dynamics and systems have not been broken. <\/p>\n<p>The country has a long-established pattern of shifting political allegiances among well-armed ethno-political factions. This has resulted in defections and splintering. Power-sharing arrangements are often short-lived, creating a constant threat of wider breakdown and an upsurge in violence. <\/p>\n<p>In January 2022, President Salva Kir struck an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crisisgroup.org\/africa\/horn-africa\/south-sudan\/b179-south-sudans-splintered-opposition-preventing-more-conflict\">agreement<\/a> on military leadership with two opposition commanders who broke away from Vice President Riek Machar. This deal is symptomatic of this pattern.<\/p>\n<h2>Why the elections matter<\/h2>\n<p>Against the backdrop of a deteriorating geopolitical environment \u2013 and with less than a year to go before the end of the transitional period \u2013 the preparations, conduct and aftermath of the elections in South Sudan will prove critical to the prospects for peace and stability.<\/p>\n<p>In theory, post-conflict elections are meant to confer domestic and international legitimacy on fragile, post-war governing structures. They are meant to encourage the growth of non-violent politics and support societal transformation towards durable peace. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<p> <em> <strong> Read more: <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/peace-in-south-sudan-hinges-on-forging-a-unified-military-force-but-its-proving-hard-181547\">Peace in South Sudan hinges on forging a unified military force: but it&#8217;s proving hard<\/a> <\/strong> <\/em>\n<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>In reality, introducing electoral competition into war-torn and deeply divided societies has often had the very opposite effect. It has sharpened and exacerbated conflict rather than mitigated it.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2018winner-takes-all approach\u2019 to politics and elections makes this a real danger in South Sudan. As Nick Haysom, head of the UN mission in the country, <a href=\"https:\/\/unmiss.unmissions.org\/briefing-un-security-council-secretary-general%E2%80%99s-special-representative-south-sudan-nicholas-0\">noted<\/a> in 2021, unless technical and political preparations are in place, the elections: <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>could be a catastrophe instead of a turning point. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Yet, the time for preparation is short.<\/p>\n<p>From a political perspective, a formula for power sharing, irrespective of who wins, should be worked out before elections are held. <\/p>\n<p>Also, the mission\u2019s role in brokering local peace agreements and supporting non-military forms of civilian protection through its field offices will become more critical as the elections loom.<\/p>\n<p>Last, but not least, mobilising and actively engaging neighbouring states, key regional players and organisations \u2013 specifically the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union \u2013 in support of South Sudan\u2019s peace process have become even more important. This follows the geopolitical fall-out from the war in Ukraine and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-europe-60203208\">deepening of tensions<\/a> within the UN Security Council. <\/p>\n<p>The proposed 2023 elections may be postponed, as they have in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-africa-27381509\">past<\/a>. However, Security Council politics make this less likely.<\/p>\n<p>If the elections were to go ahead resulting in increased violence or even a return to full-scale civil war, there is no guarantee that the Council will again renew the UN\u2019s presence in South Sudan.<\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/africa\/\">Source: The Conversation<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A notable consequence of Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine has been the near-complete breakdown of what was already a deeply fraught relationship among the permanent members of the UN Security Council. Unsurprisingly, the war has also drawn diplomatic focus and media attention away from a depressingly long list of other crises facing the world body. Efforts [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":224242,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4584],"tags":[3257],"class_list":{"0":"post-224241","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-africa-news-2","8":"tag-mypr","9":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/peacekeeping-in-south-sudan-its-a-race-against-time-for-the-un.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=224241"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224241\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/224242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=224241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=224241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=224241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}