Statement by the Troika and the EU on the conflict in South Sudan

The Troika, the EU and its Member States acknowledge the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity’s announcement of a Roadmap towards the end of transition.

We note that the Roadmap includes details of the actions that will be taken and the timeframes for delivery. We share our expectation that this agreement will now translate into the sustained action required to deliver the Roadmap. We note with concern that the necessity for an extension to the peace process is the result of choices made by the government not to take the necessary steps that would have led to implementation.

Only sustained action and results, particularly on oil revenue transparency, as well as public financial and resources management, will generate the donor support requested by the Government of South Sudan. In this regard, we note the Government’s announcement to allocate specific funds in the 2022-23 budget for implementing the Peace agreement and the Roadmap. We urge the Government to disburse those funds in predictable and transparent ways in order for the international community to regain confidence.

We regret that the process of finalising the Roadmap was insufficiently inclusive. Civil society groups were given only limited time to review and comment on the Government’s proposal. We regard the inclusivity of any process as key to its legitimacy and urge the Government to consult in more detail before the process of ratifying the extension set out in article 8.4 of R-ARCSS is completed. Furthermore, we call on the Government to expand political and civic space to ensure that the voices of the South Sudanese people, including those who hold opposing views, are consistently heard throughout the implementation of the Roadmap.

The people of South Sudan, the Troika, the EU and its Member States, and the wider international community will judge deeds, not words. We need to see what will be different this time. To build confidence the Government should immediately demonstrate significant progress towards implementation of the outstanding elements of R-ARCSS, in accordance with the deadlines set out in the Roadmap. Ratification of the extension of the transition should occur after the government has demonstrated the sustained action and results promised in the Roadmap. It is through meeting the deadlines set out in the Roadmap that the Government can earn our collective trust.

Finally, we welcome President Kiir and First Vice President Machar’s reiteration of their commitment to peace. We remain convinced that the only path to peace, prosperity, and democracy for all South Sudanese lies in action by the country’s leaders to fulfil their promises and include all South Sudanese in a shared vision of their nation’s future.