May 1st 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) said in a report on Tuesday that the situation in the neighboring Sudan will likely impact the the implementation of South Sudan’s revitalized peace agreement signed in Addis Ababa last year.
In April, the Sudanese army decided to remove long-time president Omar al-Bashir from power and detained him following months of protests by the Sudanese who demanded that al-Bashir’s immediate departure and be handed over to the ICC.
Pointing to then developing situation shortly before al-Bashir’s ouster, the United Nations Security Council said on Tuesday that the political situation in Sudan which mediated the South Sudan’s revitalized peace deal will likely impact its implementation.
“The consequent instability in the Sudan will likely impact the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement in South Sudan,” the council said in the report adding that authorities in Khartoum are among the “key guarantors of the revitalized peace agreement, including with respect to guaranteeing the security of Riek Machar.”
The report further raised prospect of hailing economy of both countries given the resumption of oil production in South Sudan and the strong relationship empowered by the oil-flow from South Sudan using Sudanese infrastructure.
“The Sudan’s renewed cooperation with South Sudan to resume oil production in the Unity State oilfields, in addition to South Sudan’s dependence on Sudanese pipelines and ports for all oil exports, also make this relationship critical to both economies,” the report added.
‘Impartial participant’
The council further raised concerns about what it said is a military and financial exploitation of the agreement by Uganda as well as pointing to other political dispute between Uganda and Rwanda as main regional threats to South Sudan’s peace.
The report said the presence of Ugandan army in part of South Sudan violates arms embargo imposed by the security council a year ago and above all, raises questions about Uganda’s role as impartial guarantor of South Sudan’s peace agreement.
“The continued presence of armed Uganda People’s Defence Forces in Central and Western Equatoria, in violation of the arms embargo established by the Security Council in its resolution 2428 (2018), and as reported in the Panel’s interim report, has also raised questions about Uganda’s role as an impartial participant in the process,” it added.
