S/2021/784

United Nations

Security Council

Distr.: General
9 September 2021
Original: English

Situation in South Sudan
Report of the Secretary-General

I. Introduction
1.
The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2567
(2021), by which the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission inSouth Sudan (UNMISS) to 15 March 2022 and requested the Secretary-General toreport on the implementation of the Mission’s mandate every 90 days. The reportcovers political and security developments, the humanitarian and human rights
situation, and progress towards the implementation of the Miss ion’s mandate from
1 June to 31 August 2021.

II. Political and economic developments
2.
On 9 July, South Sudan observed the tenth anniversary of its independence. In
his address to the nation, the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, noted theimplementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the
Republic of South Sudan as a priority, highlighted the progress achieved thus far andaffirmed the commitment of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National
Unity to graduating the Necessary Unified Forces.
Reconstituted parliament3.
On 4 July, Mr. Kiir issued decrees appointing new members to the Council ofStates. The new Council is composed of 92 members, of whom 25 are women. The
President also revised the list of appointees for the reconstituted Transitional National
Legislative Assembly, replacing 35 previously appointed members of the Sudan
People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). On 30 July, Mr. Kiir revoked the decree
appointing members of the Other Political Parties coalition to the reconstituted
Assembly following disagreements over representation. On 4 August, all leaders of
the coalition, with the exception of Peter Mayen, reached an agreement on the
distribution of their allotted legislative seats.
4.
On 23 July, the SPLM leadership nominated Jemma Nunu Kumba as the Speakerof the reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Parmena Awerial
Aluong as the Second Deputy Speaker and Mary Ayen Majok as the Deputy Speakerof the Council of States. On 27 July, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Armyin Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) nominated Nathaniel Oyet Pierino as the First Deputy

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Speaker of the reconstituted Assembly and Deng Deng Akon as the Speaker of theCouncil. The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) selected Lieutenant General
Bapiny Monytuil as the Second Deputy Speaker of the Council of States. The
swearing-in ceremony of the parliamentarians took place on 2 August. On 30 August,the President presided over the inauguration of the recons tituted Assembly and theCouncil. In his address, he stated that, despite the delays, the reconstitution of the
Parliament was proof that the parties were invested in implementing the revitalizedpeace agreement.
Internal disputes in the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Army in Opposition
5.
On 21 June, the President appointed Simon Gatwech Dual, the Chief of General
Staff of SPLM/A-IO, as the Presidential Adviser on peace. On 22 June, theChairperson of SPLM/A-IO, Riek Machar, relieved Mr. Gatwech Dual of his position
in SPLM/A-IO. On 24 June, Mr. Gatwech Dual rejected his appointment as
Presidential Adviser, stating that he had not been consulted about the position before
it was announced.
6.
On 3 August, a group of SPLM/A-IO military leaders announced, through the
Kitgwang Declaration, that they had ousted Mr. Machar as the Chairman andCommander-in-Chief of SPLM/A-IO and replaced him with Mr. Gatwech Dual. On
4 August, following a meeting chaired by Mr. Machar, the SPLM/A -IO Political
Bureau rejected the declaration, characterizing it as an attempt by peace spoilers anddefectors. On 7 August, forces of Mr. Machar and Mr. Gatwech Dual clashed in Gezan
and Megeinis in Upper Nile, followed by additional clashes in the area in the weeks
that followed. On 8 August, a group of SPLM/A-IO leaders and some members of the
Political Bureau, the National Liberation Council and other cadres, led by the
SPLM/A-IO Deputy Chairperson, Henry Dilang Odwar, announced their support for
the group of military leaders who had issued the Kitgwang Declaration. On 13 August,the Political Bureau, chaired by Machar, cancelled the group’s membership forallegedly undermining the objectives and policies of SPLM/A -IO.
7.
On 10 August, the President convened a meeting of the presidency in Juba to
discuss the situation in SPLM/A-IO. The President called for the cessation of
hostilities between the rival factions and the observance of a reasonable distance tosafeguard against further violence. He also directed the security supervis ion
mechanism and the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring andVerification Mechanism to visit Megeinis in order to maintain calm and prevent any
further violence. The presidency called for the immediate unification of the commandof the forces and directed the First Vice-President, Mr. Machar, and theVice-President, Hussein Abdelbagi, to present their list of nominees for the unified
forces to the President.
Implementation of the Revitalized Agreement
8.
On 23 June, Mr. Machar launched a two-day symposium on federalism in thepermanent constitution-making process in South Sudan under the theme “Towards a
legitimate and effective federal constitution framework”.
9.
On 30 June, Mr. Machar and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs,
Reuben Madol, launched the consultative process for the establishment of theCommission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing in line with chapter V of the
Revitalized Agreement. The event marked the reconstitution of an inclusive technicalcommittee, composed of government officials, signatories to the Revitalized
Agreement and civil society representatives, who are tasked with drafting theCommission legislation based on inclusive, participatory and transparent public
consultations.
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10. On 15 July, the Ministry of Peace Building, with support from the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), held a dialogue under the theme“Towards the development of a South Sudan peacebuilding strategic forum”. During
the dialogue, the peacebuilding strategic framework of South Sudan was discussed
and developed.
Peace process developments
11. From 15 to 18 July, the peace talks led by the Community of Sant’Egidio
between the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity and the South
Sudan United Front/Army and the Real SPLM faction of the South Sudan Opposition
Movements Alliance (SSOMA) took place in Rome. The Real SPLM faction of
SSOMA recommitted to its integration into the Ceasefire Transitional Security
Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism and presented its nominees tothe body. The parties also outlined a road map for moving the talks forward over the
coming months. On 20 July, the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Barnaba Marial,
informed the public of efforts to bring the National Salvation Front (NAS), the other
SSOMA faction, led by Thomas Cirillo, back to the peace talks.
12. On 17 August, the President strongly condemned an attack on the Juba -Nimuleroad in a statement and blamed holdout groups for the deaths of civilians, including
two nuns, in the attack. On 30 August, the President said that the Revitalized
Transitional Government of National Unity had decided to pause the Sant’Egidio -ledtalks with SSOMA, stating that talks would only resume after SSOMA ceased
hostilities.
Political developments
13. On 15 July, the Minister of Public Service and leader of the South Sudan
National Movement for Change, Joseph Bakosoro, and some members of his party
rejoined SPLM. Mr. Bakosoro did not resign from his post, to which he was appointed
on an SSOA ticket, despite calls for him to resign by SSOA members.
14. The President issued several decrees by which he relieved and appointed high ranking government officials. On 1 June, the President relieved the Chief
Administrators of the Pibor Administrative Area, Joshua Konyi, and of the Ruweng
Administrative Area, William Chol Awalith, of their posts. They were replaced by
Lokoli Amu Bullen and Peter Dau, respectively. On 8 June, the President relieved theGovernor of Lakes State, Major General Makur Kulang Liei, and the Chief of MilitaryIntelligence of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, Major General Rin Tueny
Mabor Deng, of their posts. He appointed the latter as Governor of Lakes State andLieutenant General Marshal Stephen Babanen as Chief of Military Intelligence. On
28 July, the President relieved the Deputy Governor of Western Bahr el-Ghazal Stateof his post and appointed Zachariah Joseph Garang in his place. He also appointed
Mary Nawai Martin as Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
15. On 30 August, the planned protests called by the Peoples’ Coalition for Civil
Action did not manifest as public demonstrations. The leaders of the Coalition,
however, declared victory on the basis of what they deemed an overreaction by theGovernment.
Regional engagements and developments
16. On 24 June, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) held theseventy-second extraordinary meeting of its Council of Ministers. In its communiqué,
the Council of Ministers welcomed the progress on the implementation of chapters I
and II of the Revitalized Agreement while noting the challenges related to transitional
security arrangements. On 9 August, IGAD held the seventy -third extraordinary
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meeting of its Council of Ministers to discuss the SPLM/A -IO rupture. In its
communiqué, the Council noted with concern the unfolding political crisis andsplintering of SPLM/A-IO, which entailed significant implications for the ongoingpeace process in South Sudan as well as for the wider region. The Council called upon
the opposition factions to immediately and unconditionally ce ase hostilities and seek
peaceful solutions through dialogue. The Council tasked the Executive Secretary of
IGAD, Workneh Gebeyehu, and the IGAD Special Envoy, Ismail Wais, to support the
Chair of IGAD in mediating the dispute within SPLM/A -IO. It also requested themto develop a road map setting clear timelines on subsequent engagements with parties
to resolve the current disagreements and detailing the key areas impeding progress in
the implementation of transitional security arrangements.
17. The Executive Secretary of IGAD and the IGAD Special Envoy visited Juba
from 11 to 13 August. In his capacity as Chair of IGAD, the Prime Minister of the
Sudan, Abdalla Hamdok, visited Juba from 19 to 20 August to further engage partners
and stakeholders.
Economic situation
18. Economic reforms continued to improve macroeconomic stability and publicfinances and to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID -19) pandemic.
The depreciation of the South Sudanese pound was reversed in mid-August, following
a convergence of the exchange rate between the Central Bank and the parallel market.
This is expected to help control inflation and to positively affect food security forhouseholds.
19. On 7 July, the South Sudan Council of Ministers approved the resourc e envelopeand sector ceiling for the 2021–2022 budget estimated at around $1.6 billion, which
is 5 per cent lower than the previous year’s budget that was not approved. However,the budget still presents a significant funding gap of about 29 per cent, whi ch will bechallenging to bridge. Nevertheless, salaries for civil servants and organized forces
have doubled, and allocations to social sectors such as health and education, as wellas infrastructure, have increased. The new budget is expected to be appro ved in
September.

III. Security situation
20. Upper Nile, Warrap, Lakes, Central Equatoria and Western Equatoria wereparticularly affected by subnational and localized violence during the reporting
period, resulting in displacement, increased protection risks and rights violations, aswell as diminished humanitarian access. Jonglei saw intermittent and low -level cattlerelated violence, while the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and NAS engaged
in skirmishes in the Equatorias. United Nations agencies and international
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) faced violence and criminality, leading to afew casualties and the destruction of property.
Greater Upper Nile region
21. Upper Nile continued to see political and ethnic contestations, intra-Nuer
conflicts and socioeconomic tensions. The SPLM/A-IO infighting that commenced
on 7 August in Kitgwang resulted in between 45 and 64 casualties.
22. The issue of land rights and related administrative delineation flared up in
Malakal on 6 June, when the Dinka Padang protested after government officials
referred to Malakal as the headquarters of Makal County during a COVID -19
vaccination campaign. Intra-Nuer violence escalated in the southern Upper Nile

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region when Nuer sub-clans fought on 3 and 4 July and on 6 August in Ulang County.
In Nassir, on 20 June, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces burned down an
SPLM/A-IO garrison in Ketbek to avenge the killing of one Defence Forces soldier
by the Nuer. In Maban, the presence of SPLM/A-IO forces at the Liang cantonment
site raised concerns of looting, illegal taxation and the intimidation and harassmentof civilians. Tensions arising from livelihood pressures also resurfaced in oil producing Melut County, where the local population staged a demonstration on 14
and 15 June demanding better pay, the provision of services and employment
opportunities.
23. In Jonglei, multiple instances of isolated cattle-related attacks and crimes, suchas abduction and attempted robbery, allegedly carried o ut by the Murle, continued in
the Nuer-inhabited areas of Yuai, Uror and Akobo. Intra-Murle tensions in the Pibor
Administrative Area resulted in fighting on 29 June and 9 July that resulted in thedeaths of 23 people.
24. Inter- and intrastate conflicts remained a major security threat in Unity. Multiple
incidents of cattle raiding and of looting involving armed young people occurred in
Koch and Leer Counties throughout June and July. The sub-clans in Guit County
clashed in Kilo 30 village on 7 July, killing a 13-year-old boy. Concurrently, interstate
conflicts continued along the border areas between Unity and Warrap and between
southern Unity and eastern Lakes. At least two incidents of cattle raiding occurred in
June, and another in August in Twic, Warrap, implicating armed young people from
Mayom. Armed young people from Panyijiar County in Unity also conducted a spateof attacks against the border communities of Lakes.
Greater Equatoria region
25. Sporadic clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and NAS
exacerbated insecurity and the human rights situation in Central and Western
Equatoria. Both parties fought on at least seven occasions. On 10 June, NAS overran
the Defence Forces base at Loka West in Lainya County, killing 10 Defenc e Forces
soldiers. On 21 July, NAS attacked the Defence Forces barracks in Mundu boma,
Lainya County, and attacked a base in Kimba, Mororo County, the following day,killing three Defence Forces soldiers. On 27 July, NAS attacked the Defence Forces
barracks in Rasolo, Western Equatoria, killing two Defence Forces soldiers. On
3 August, NAS attacked the Defence Forces barracks in Logo, located along the Yei Maridi road. The two forces also clashed on 13 August, in Gilogne village, south west of Juba, while on the same day, a NAS ambush was also reported in which three
Defence Forces vehicles were targeted along the Yei-Maridi road, en route to Goli.
26. Western Equatoria experienced a resurgence in inter-ethnic tensions between the
Azande and Balanda. Incidents occurred in Tambura, Nagero and areas bordering
Western Bahr el-Ghazal, implicating armed elements of both groups. Homes
belonging to the Balanda in Source Yubu were burned down on 4 June by unidentified
armed elements; the SPLM/A-IO base in Namatina was attacked on 18 June, allegedly
by Azande armed elements loyal to Major General James Nando based in Source
Yubu; an Azande boma chief was killed in Nagero on 27 June by unidentified armed
men; and the residence of the SPLM/A-IO Commander of Namatina was attacked on
16 July, allegedly by armed persons loyal to Nando. Intercommunal violence in
Tambura on 20 and 21 August led to the killing of dozens of people, the burning ofhouses and the displacement of thousands of households. More than 3,000 displaced
persons seeking protection have arrived next to the UNMISS temporary operatingbase in Tambura.
27. In Eastern Equatoria, economic and livelihood challenges, including a lack of
employment opportunities, continued to fuel grievances. The frustrations of loc al
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young people were directed at United Nations agencies and NGOs, with the
Monyomiji community issuing a press statement on 14 June, objecting to United
Nations and NGO recruitment practices and demanding that they hire local young
people. The situation escalated on 30 June, when a group of about 30 Monyomiji
youth demonstrated outside the UNMISS Torit field office, calling upon all United
Nations agencies and NGOs operating in the area to “evacuate within 72 hours”.
Separately, economically motivated attacks, including road ambushes and robberies,
continued to be targeted at civilians and humanitarians in Torit.
Greater Bahr el-Ghazal region
28. Recurring intercommunal conflict and cattle raiding occurred in Tonj North,
Tonj South and Tonj East. From 7 to 9 July, clashes occurred between the
Paliang/Luanyjang (Tonj East) and the Marial Lou (Tonj North) over the attempted
theft of two head of cattle, resulting in the deaths of 25 civilians and injuries to afurther 23 people. On 15 and 16 August, follow ing cattle-related incidents,
intercommunal violence between Luanyjang, Lou Paher and Thiik communities inTonj East left about 35 people dead. Cattle-related conflict between the Thiik andLuanyjang communities also continued in Tonj East.
29. Violence in Lakes among different subsections and clans occurred in Rumbek
East, Rumbek North, Cueibet and Yirol West. On 12 June, around 20 people were
killed during the fighting between the Thuyic and Gony and their respective allies at
the Aguok cattle camp in Rumbek East County. On 21 June, another 23 people were
killed when armed Pakam youth (from Rumbek North) and Ruop and Nyang youth(from Rumbek Centre) attacked the Maker Diam cattle camp in Cueibet County.
30. Tensions in Western Bahr el-Ghazal were exacerbated as a result of the
SPLM/A-IO split and internal leadership dispute. On 11 June, clashes were reported
between two SPLM/A-IO commanders in a village west of Wau, in the Greater
Baggari region.

IV. Humanitarian situation
31. High levels of food insecurity and violence, coupled with flooding and the
pandemic, continued to affect vulnerable populations in South Sudan. An estimated
7.2 million people, 60 per cent of the population, faced high levels of acute foodinsecurity between April and July, including 108,000 people in six counties facing
catastrophic hunger. Malnutrition levels among children under five years of age areabove emergency thresholds in many parts of the country. Some 1.4 million children
and 480,000 pregnant or lactating women are estimated to be acutely malnourished,including 313,391 children estimated to be suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
In addition to the 1,710,966 people previously displaced, more than 137,000
individuals were displaced as a result of localized violence and flooding between
1 June and 31 August. Humanitarian organizations scaled up operations across the
food- and nutrition-insecure areas.
32. Fighting between armed forces, subnational violence and cattle raids in regions
including Central and Western Equatoria, Jonglei, the Pibor Administrative Area andUpper Nile uprooted people and disrupted humanitarian activities. Since June,
recurring fighting in Tambura County, Western Equatoria, has displaced some 58,800
people to eight locations. In early July, fighting in Tonj North, Warrap, displacedaround 10,000 people (including 3,000 women and 2,500 children), with hundreds ofshelters burned down and health centres, schools and churches vandalized. During
the fighting in Tonj North, a United Nations agency warehouse, in which critical fooditems were stored, was looted. Recurring subnational violence in Uror County,
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Jonglei, and in Pibor County, Pibor Administrative Area, affected the delivery ofcritical humanitarian assistance to highly food-insecure people. In Upper Nile,
fighting between the alleged rival military factions of the SPLM/A -IO in
Megeinis/Kitgwang in Manyo County, Upper Nile, displaced some 2,000 people.
33. Humanitarian access remains a challenge, with the resurgence of armed conflictin parts of Central and Western Equatoria, Jonglei and the Pibor Administrative Area.
Humanitarian workers and assets continued to be targeted and attacked. The lootingof humanitarian supplies had a significant impact on operations in the c onflictaffected areas, where people are already facing high levels of food insecurity andmalnutrition. In Tambura, health facilities were looted and destroyed during
subnational violence. Since the beginning of 2021, more than 911 metric tons of fooditems and nutritional supplements have been looted or destroyed during subnational
violence. Those supplies could have supported more than 41,000 food -insecurepeople for up to four months and provided life-saving nutritional supplements forover 2,500 children under five years of age suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
34. Between 1 June and 31 August, 164 incidents related to humanitarian accesswere reported, including 22 ambushes and 25 lootings. A total of 61 aid workers werealso relocated from Ayod, Magwi, Morobo, Fangak, Nagero and Tambura. In June,
two humanitarian workers were killed when a clearly marked humanitarian convoy
was ambushed in Yirol West, Lakes State. With the onset of the rainy season, roads
have become impassable, with some locations cut off entirely and humanitarianorganizations having to rely on air transport in order to deliver aid. Increases in thenumber of riverine checkpoints and in cases of extortion were reported. In earlyAugust, armed young people from New Fangak twice attacked an international NGO
compound in the area, severely beating the guard on site and threatening staff
members who were residing there.
35. Between June and August, flooding affected an estimated 380,000 people acrossthe country, with Jonglei and Unity most affected. Following rapid needs assessments,
emergency assistance has been provided to 140,000 people in the flood-affected areas,
with more planned. Communities in the affected areas moved to higher grounds andrequired emergency assistance. Humanitarian organizations have provided foodassistance; health and nutrition supplies and services; water, sanitation and hygiene
services; protection services; and fishing kits for livelihood support.
36. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR), 11,400 South Sudanese refugees returned during June 2021.

V. Implementation of the Mission’s mandated tasks
A.

Supporting the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement andthe peace process
37. My Special Representative and his deputy continued to exercise their good
offices, engaging the parties and stakeholders to address critical outstanding issues
and maintain progress on the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement. My
Special Representative engaged with the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, andother senior officials of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity,
as well as with the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, and the Ministers for
Foreign Affairs of Kenya and Uganda to promote the timely implementation of theAgreement.
38. My Special Representative also briefed the seventy-third extraordinary sessionof the Council of Ministers of IGAD. Following a separate engagement with the

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IGAD Executive Secretary in Juba, UNMISS, IGAD, the reconstituted Joint
Monitoring and Evaluation Commission and the Ceasefire Transitional Security
Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism issued a joint statement
reiterating their partnership and recommitment to coordinating support to the parties
in order to help resolve challenges related to transitional security arrangements.
39. State-level executive leadership retreats took place on 8 and 9 June in Western
Equatoria, on 24 and 25 June in Eastern Equatoria and from 15 to 17 July in War rap
under the theme “People first, building trust for united and inclusive governments”.
The Revitalized Agreement was disseminated at the retreats, which served as anopportunity for the state governments to share experiences, to better understand theirroles and to foster state-level synergies for unity governments.
40. Following the workshop of the reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation
Commission in May, at which the permanent constitution-making process formallycommenced, UNMISS convened a series of key stakeholder consultations in supportof the process. On 22 June, UNMISS, UNHCR, UNDP and the United Nations Entity
for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) supported
consultations for internally displaced persons and refugees on the permanent
constitution-making process to facilitate the involvement of representatives ofrefugees and internally displaced persons.
41. On 29 June, UNMISS, in partnership with UNDP and UN-Women, hosted a twoday workshop in Juba on judicial reforms and the permanent constitution -making
process. The discussion was focused on the deficits, constraints and challenges facing
the judiciary and on options for judicial reforms outlined in the Revitalized
Agreement, including the establishment of the proposed constitutional court.
42. On 6 and 7 July, UNMISS convened a round table, chaired by Francis Deng, on
governance and nation-building, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the
independence of South Sudan. Eminent civic and political leaders as well as womenand youth representatives shared reflections on developments in th e country’s history
and thoughts on the way forward in nation-building.
43. UNMISS facilitated governors’ forums to support cooperation among the newly
appointed state governments in Central Equatoria, Western Equatoria, Eastern
Equatoria, Northern Bahr el-Ghazal, Western Bahr el-Ghazal and Jonglei. The forums
brought members of the state executives together with local stakeholders to identify
key priorities and associated redress actions. They included programmes on
addressing tensions between the newly appointed leaders, as well as on leadership
attributes and their responsibilities with respect to the fulfilment of the Revitalized
Agreement. UNMISS also facilitated county commissioner forums in Upper Nile,
Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el-Ghazal with a focus on strategic planning andleadership for county authorities and on stakeholder participation in assessing
governance priorities.
44. On 15 July, UNMISS, in collaboration with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs andInternational Cooperation, launched a peace fellows programme aimed at increasing
citizen participation in the peace process. The programme drew 35 South Sudaneseyoung people (including 14 women) from the 10 states and administrative areas. The
programme is expected to run until March 2022.
45. On 21 and 22 July, the Government of South Sudan, IGAD and UNHCR jointly
organized a validation workshop entitled “Durable solutions strategy and plan ofaction for refugees, internally displaced persons and host communities in South
Sudan”. The workshop was aimed at garnering the views of stakeholders on the
finalization of a strategic approach to support the implementation of chapter III of the
Revitalized Agreement.
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46. UNMISS continued to enhance political participation by hosting round -tablediscussions on Radio Miraya concerning communal conflicts, the challenges ofnation-building, the permanent constitution-making process, the participation ofinternally displaced persons and refugees in the permanent constitution -making
process, the tenth anniversary of independence, and the reconstitution of theTransitional National Legislative Assembly and the challenges that it faces. During
the reporting period, 12 discussions were held.

B.

Protection of civilians and mitigating intercommunal conflict
47. The Mission responded to threats against civilians in South Sudan through theproactive deployment and robust posture of peacekeepers, engagements with militaryand political leaders, community-level conflict resolution activities, the provision ofcritical support to rule of law and justice institutions, and other programmatic
activities.
48. In Tambura, Western Equatoria, UNMISS established a temporary operatingbase for a significant period, following incidents of intercommunal violence. The
presence of UNMISS reduced tensions and enabled an inter-agency humanitarian
team from Yambio to be deployed in order to conduct an assessment of the population
affected and provide critical life-saving support. UNMISS also established temporary
operating bases in strategic locations and hotspots such as Gumuruk and Likuangole
in the Pibor Administrative Area, and Koch, in Unity State. Through patrols of longand short duration, UNMISS built the confidence of the population and enhanced trust
between affected communities. Following violent clashes in Tonj East and Tonj
North, UNMISS conducted three dynamic air patrols of the areas, enabling
government officials to address their constituents. During the reporting period, 31
temporary operating bases were operational.
49. Concurrently, UNMISS carried out extensive grass-roots engagements,
promoting dialogue and reconciliation. For instance, on 5 and 6 June, the Mission
collaborated with government officials in Warrap and the Conflict Resolution andReconciliation Commission, bringing together 35 traditional leaders, women, young
people, cattle camp leaders and payam administrators from Tonj North County. In
addition, the Mission conducted outreach to more than 500 cattle keepers, whocommitted to supporting peacebuilding efforts through assistance with recoveringstolen cattle and identifying perpetrators of violence.
50. In Northern Bahr el-Ghazal, UNMISS organized post-migration conferences
between Rizeigat pastoralists and the Dinka Malual host community and between
Misseriya pastoralists and the Dinka host community. Similarly, UNMISS supported
youth groups in Western Bahr el-Ghazal in addressing harmful cultural practices andadvocated unity and peaceful coexistence. UNMISS also conducted capacity -building
training to enable 43 members (including 10 women) of the local authorities from
Wau, Jur River and Raja Counties to assume responsibilities related to the protectionof civilians.
51. In Western Equatoria, UNMISS, together with a national NGO and faith -basedleaders, delivered a three-day “community conversations” programme in Tambura
town. The forum brought together more than 80 local stakeholders from Azande andBalanda ethnic groups, who assessed the drivers of conflict in the county andcommitted to actions to de-escalate and reconcile the two communities. UNMISS alsoorganized radio programmes in the state, during which leaders delivered peace
messages to the communities.
52. UNMISS organized a dialogue forum in Pibor, Pibor Administrative Area,
between the two most conflict-affected groups, the Lango and the Kurenen. The

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dialogue was focused on prevailing issues between the two groups and included theparticipation of elders to help dissuade young people from resorting to violence.
53. In Bentiu, UNMISS assisted leaders representing internally displaced persons
and the Governor of Unity State in resolving a stand-off, leading to an agreement on
key issues, including the nomination of members to the community high committee
on a rotational basis, the administration of the former protection of civilians site by
the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, and the resumption of patrols by the joint
police unit and community watch groups. It was also agreed that SPLM/A -IO and theSouth Sudan People’s Defence Forces would provide security outside the camp toestablish a secure environment and reduce criminality.
54. UNMISS continued to provide physical protection to internally displaced
persons in the protection of civilians site in Malakal. In the internally displaced
persons camps in Wau, Bor, Bentiu and Juba, UNMISS maintained regular
engagements with the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, the South Sudan
National Police Service and community leaders representing internally displaced
persons to sensitize them to their roles and responsibilities in fostering peacefulcoexistence between communities and ensuring the physical safety of internallydisplaced persons, especially women and girls. UNMISS collaborated with leadership
structures representing internally displaced persons and with relevant humanitarian
partners to coordinate service provision and activities in the internally displaced
persons sites, including by supporting regular security coordination meetings to
mitigate identified security and protection risks in the sites.
55. The United Nations police recorded 53 incidents of physical violence against
individuals in internally displaced persons camps (6 in Juba, 9 in Wau, 8 in Bor, 30
in Bentiu). UNMISS continued to co-locate with the South Sudan National Police
Service in nine police stations and posts, conducting 1,312 joint activities to monitor
human rights violations and providing on-site sensitization and training for 5,328
Police Service officers (including 723 women).
56. The United Nations police developed a handbook on crime scene management
for investigators of the South Sudan National Police Service. The handbook is aimed
at equipping the Police Service officers with the knowledge and skills to manage
crime scenes and carry out investigations to ensure justice for victims.
57. As at 31 August, the United Nations police had conducted a total of 1,627
patrols, which included 528 confidence- and trust-building patrols, 90 short-duration
patrols, 25 long-duration patrols, 48 dynamic air patrols, 425 high-visibility patrols
and 509 coordinated patrols with the South Sudan National Police Service to foster asecure environment for free, voluntary, informed and dignified returns of internallydisplaced persons.
58. As at 31 August, the UNMISS force had conducted 61,742 patrols, including
1,528 short-duration patrols, 460 long-duration patrols, 185 dynamic air patrols and37 riverine patrols. A total of 14,730 patrols were conducted to ensure the security ofinternally displaced persons camps and the remaining protection of civilians site.
Some 3.5 per cent of patrols included women uniformed personnel.
59. The Mine Action Service provided education on explosive ordnance risk to 989
returnees from Ethiopia in Upper Nile, at the request of the local authorities and the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The Service conducted 229
explosive ordnance disposal tasks and destroyed 5,546 items of unexploded ordnance.
It also destroyed a batch of bladed weapons confiscated by the United Nations police
during search operations in the Bentiu internally displaced persons camp.

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C.

Rule of law and accountability
60. On 16 and 17 June, with support from UNMISS, the Ministry of Youth andSports held a consultative workshop on youth-related legislation. Approximately 45
participants (including 6 women) discussed a proposal for a youth enterprisedevelopment fund, the ratification of the African Youth Charter, the draft national
youth policy, the draft sports bill, and best practices on youth -related issues drawing
on examples from Cuba, Kenya, Nigeria and the Sudan. In addition to familiarizing
participants with those legal frameworks, the Ministry introduced the concept of anational youth service, modelled on other countries in the region, as a means tostrengthen national cohesion through community service. The recommendations fromthe workshop will be compiled for further action by the Ministry.
61. On 21 June, the leadership of the National Prison Service of South Sudan
endorsed a three-year strategic development plan to improve the ability of the Service
to enhance safe and secure conditions of detention, the humane treatment of prisoners,
and the accountability and professionalization of the service. The plan had beendeveloped previously during a series of eight workshops, facilitated by UNMISS forsenior Prison Service leaders, and will be presented to the Minister of the Interior for
approval and implementation.
62. From 21 to 24 June, UNMISS and UNDP supported the South Sudan Law
Review Commission in organizing a consultative workshop on the proposed reviewof the penal code. Following those consultations, the Commission will draft anamendment bill for the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
63. On 22 and 23 June, UNMISS organized a workshop in partnership with the
Ministry of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs of Central Equatori a State and theDepartment of Legal Administration and Public Prosecution of the Ministry of Justice
to strengthen coordination and working relationships between holders ofconstitutional posts and the Department. Participants learned about the mandate androle of the Ministry of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs, applicable laws oncontractual obligations and combating corruption, and the need to seek the legal
opinion or advice of that Ministry on legal matters.
64. On 28 and 29 June, UNMISS and the reconstituted Joint Monitoring and
Evaluation Commission supported the Strategic Defence and Security Review Board,
led by the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, in conducting a review of a draft
strategic security assessment and a security policy framework, which are deliverables
under the Revitalized Agreement.
65. From 3 to 5 August, an evaluation workshop was held to prepare for future
deployments of the mobile court and strengthen cooperation among local
stakeholders.
66. UNMISS continued to implement the outcome of a two-year project funded by
the South Sudan reconciliation, stabilization and resilience trust fund to mitigate
livestock-related violence in Western Bahr el-Ghazal and Warrap. UNMISS provided
logistical and technical assistance to a joint special mobile court, which brings
together a statutory judge and traditional chiefs serving in an advisory function. The
mobile court, which completed its full deployment on 7 July, issued over 50 arrest
warrants against more than 70 suspects. It delivered six judgments, convicting fourindividuals (one for murder, one for murder and robbery, and two for robbery) andacquitting two individuals.
67. UNMISS also supported the establishment and proceedings of the Greater Tonj
Special Court, which brings together statutory judges and traditional chiefs serving
in an advisory function to address tensions at the local level, as a conduit for regional

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peace and stability. In June, the Court issued 15 judgments, involving 19 defendants,
related to various crimes, including murder, rape, assault and robbery.

D.

Creating conditions conducive to the delivery ofhumanitarian assistance
68. UNMISS conducted 182 long-duration patrols and 211 short-duration patrols to
support the delivery of assistance and ensure the protection of humanitarian workers.
It provided force protection to 60 integrated missions and conducted 41 force
protection patrols in support of convoys and humanitarian partners, including NGOs.
69. UNMISS collaborated with UNHCR in extending protection and safety in
Maban County to humanitarian actors who were threatened and temporarily taken
hostage by refugees protesting irregular food distribution.
70. The Mine Action Service performed the survey, clearance and destruction of
explosive ordnance to enable humanitarian and development activities, including theassessment of an identified site for a humanitarian hub in Ayod, Jonglei. Survey andclearance continued on the Raja-Boro-Medina road in Western Bahr el-Ghazal andthe Kuerguini-Bentiu road in Unity, where two anti-tank mines were safely removed
and destroyed in June. A total of 857,666 m² of land were released.

E.

Monitoring and investigating human rights violations
71. UNMISS documented 179 incidents that negatively affected the human rights
and protection situation, including arbitrary killings, extrajudicial executions,injuries, abductions, conflict-related sexual violence, arbitrary arrests and detention(including proxy detention), torture and ill-treatment, forced military conscription,and the looting and destruction of civilian property. The incidents resulted in at least
395 civilian casualties (297 killed and 98 injured), including at least 31 women and
21 children. Of these incidents, 91 were attributed to civil defence groups, 21 to theSouth Sudan People’s Defence Forces, 18 to SPLM/A-IO, 6 to NAS, 4 to the National
Security Service and 2 to the South Sudan National Police Service. Attribution for 37
other incidents was pending.
72. Attacks carried out by civil defence groups remained the primary source ofviolence affecting local populations, accounting for 61 per cent of civilian casualties.
However, a surge in violence involving conventional parties to the conflict in the
Tambura area of Western Equatoria resulted in 117 civilian casualties (105 killed and
12 injured), as well as significant population displacement and the looting anddestruction of civilian property.
73. In July, the Mission issued a press release articulating its concern about at least
42 extrajudicial executions in Warrap and Lakes and urging local and national
officials to restore lawful measures in response to the localized violence and toinvestigate and prosecute those responsible for the executions. However, local
officials continued to defend the use of such extrajudicial executions as a form of
deterrence in the absence of rule-of-law institutions, and at least two additional
extrajudicial executions were allegedly carried out following the issuance of the press
release.
74. The Mission facilitated the release and the family tracing and reunification of
37 abductees (12 women, 25 children) held by members of the Murle, Dinka and Nuer
communities in Jonglei and the Pibor Administrative Area following the agreementof community leaders to identify and mobilize abductees as part of peace dialogues.
The project, which is led by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for

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Human Rights with the support of the South Sudan reconciliation, stabilization andresilience trust fund, has led to the release of 100 abductees since its launch earlier in
2021.
75. UNMISS conducted 92 capacity-building sessions for a total of 3,047 national
stakeholders (of whom 1,127 were women), including members of the security forces,
state officials, community and traditional leaders, members of women’s and youth
organizations, and other civil society representatives.
76. UNMISS also carried out eight human rights-related due diligence policy risk
assessments before travel and material assistance was provided to non-United Nations
security forces in support of the implementation of the peace process.
77. UNMISS continued to receive reports of censorship, harassment and arbitraryarrest and detention by the National Security Service of journalists, activ ists and othercivilians expressing critical or dissenting views from those of the Government. At
least 43 journalists and human rights defenders were threatened, arbitrarily arrested
and detained in connection with their professional activities. Many of t hese incidents
were related to the People’s Coalition for Civil Action, a group calling for the
resignation of Mr. Kiir, Mr. Machar and other senior government officials. The
incidents include, on 2 August, the arrest by the Service of the former Governor ofNorthern Bahr el-Ghazal, who is a member of the Coalition. Separately, a press
conference to be held on 4 August by a national media association on the constitution making process was suspended by the Service.
1.

Children and armed conflict
78. During the reporting period, 13 children (6 boys, 7 girls) were the victims ofgrave violations. Four boys were verified as having been recruited by the South Sudan
People’s Defence Forces, one boy was killed by the Defence Forces, six children(1 boy, 5 girls) were maimed by explosive remnants of war, and two girls were raped
by SPLM/A-IO (1) and the Defence Forces (1). Violations were verified in Jonglei(4 boys, 1 girl), Northern Bahr el-Ghazal (4 girls), Unity (1 boy), Central Equatoria(1 boy, 1 girl) and Western Equatoria (1 boy). In addition, two incidents were verified
regarding the military use of schools by SPLM/A-IO forces in Western Bahr el-Ghazal(1) and by the Defence Forces in Central Equatoria (1).
79. UNMISS delivered 38 child protection awareness-raising sessions to
648 members of the government security forces (including 192 women) and 113
members of the SPLM/A-IO forces (including 2 women). In addition, 669 community
members (including 291 women), 59 government officials (including 20 women) an d
5 male staff members of protection partners benefited from awareness-raising
activities.
80. UNMISS delivered five child protection training sessions to 227 participants(56 of them women), including 106 members of government security forces (of whom
6 were women), 10 members of opposition forces (all men), 77 government officials(including 20 women), 30 community members (all women) and 4 staff members ofprotection partners (all men).
81. In June and July, UNMISS supported the high-level interministerial committee
in preparing its first comprehensive report on the progress and challenges related tothe implementation of the action plan on children associated with armed conflict. The
report was presented to the committee and the action plan has been ext ended until
7 February 2022.
82. Following the child protection capacity-building workshop for 38 militaryjustice personnel held in May, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces launched a

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mobile general court martial in Jonglei and Upper Nile on 3 June t o commence trials
for 60 perpetrators of atrocities committed against civilians, including children.
2.

Conflict-related sexual violence
83. UNMISS continued to observe concerning levels of sexual violence perpetrated
by the parties to the conflict, civil defence groups or other armed elements involved
in localized violence. The Mission verified 23 incidents of conflict-related sexual
violence involving 40 survivors, including 10 girls and 11 men. The victims, whoseages ranged from 12 to 50, were subjected to rape (16), gang rape (11), forced nudity(12) and sexual slavery (1). Seven incidents were attributed to the South Sudan
People’s Defence Forces, six to civil defence groups, three to SPLM/A -IO, two to theSouth Sudan National Police Service, two to NAS and one to the National Security
Service. Attribution for two incidents was pending. Civil defence groups were
responsible for 47 per cent of all victims. In addition, five incidents of conflict -related
sexual violence that had occurred prior to the reporting period, involving
12 survivors, including one girl, were documented and verified. Three incidents were
attributed to civil defence groups and two to the Police Service.
84. On 19 June, the Government officially launched the action plan for the arm ed
forces on addressing conflict-related sexual violence. The action plan had previously
been endorsed by the Joint Defence Board and builds on and unifies the action plansof the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and SPLM/A-IO on preventing andeliminating conflict-related sexual violence. The joint committee mandated to oversee
its implementation, comprising representatives of the Defence Forces, SPLM/A-IO
and the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, held its first meeting on 6 August, withtechnical support from the Mission.
85. Civilian courts in Warrap and Western Bahr el-Ghazal States convicted two
South Sudan National Police Service personnel and one South Sudan People’s
Defence Forces personnel of conflict-related sexual violence against minors. In
addition to prison terms ranging from three to nine years, perpetrators were alsoordered to pay compensation to survivors, including cattle and payments of up to
75,000 South Sudanese pounds.

F.

Women and peace and security
86. UNMISS facilitated the launch of the South Sudan Women’s Leadership Forum
under the auspices of the Vice-President of South Sudan, Rebecca Nyandeng deMabior, to strengthen women’s representation in politics and to create a pipeline ofwomen at the national and subnational levels. The forum brought together a diverse
group of women, including from the security sector, faith-based organizations, civilsociety, academia, political leaders and the private sector, to discuss shared priorities
and make recommendations on how to advance the women and peace and security
agenda, and peace implementation.
87. UNMISS supported the efforts of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social
Welfare of Upper Nile State, through the South Sudan Women’s Leadership Forum,
to advance women’s meaningful participation in public office and decision -making,including in the ongoing peace process under the Revitalized Agreement.
88. On 1 June, UNMISS hosted a two-day dialogue in Western Bahr el-Ghazal on
women’s representation in politics and state governments. Over 70 participants (42of them women), including political party representatives, state ministers, advisers,
directors general and civil society actors, discussed women’s participation in politics
and the need for capacity-building.

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89. On 22 July, UNMISS provided technical support to Omuk, a community -based
women’s organization in Torit, in drafting a three-month workplan on thedissemination of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and the awareness-raisingaround the 35 per cent affirmative action quota in local languages.

VI. Mission staffing, the status of deployments and conduct
and discipline
90. As at 16 August, the number of UNMISS civilian personnel stood at 2,654,
comprising 873 international staff members (including 249 women, 29 per cent),
1,389 national staff members (of whom 205 were women, 15 per cent) and 392 United
Nations Volunteers (161 of them women, 41 per cent).
91. The police strength stood at 1,479 (of an authorized 2,101 personnel),comprising 592 individual police officers (including 206 women, 34.7 per cent), 848
personnel in formed police units (of whom 225 women, 26.5 per cen t) and 39
corrections officers (17 of them women, 43.5 per cent).
92. Of the authorized 17,000 troops, UNMISS troop strength stood at 14,871
military personnel, comprising 221 military liaison officers (including 47 women,
21 per cent), 418 military staff officers (of whom 78 women, 19 per cent) and 14,232
military contingent personnel (748 of them women, 5 per cent).
93. UNMISS reviewed the existing sexual exploitation and abuse risk registers andaction plans in Yambio, Torit and Aweil. To fully implement the three-pronged
strategy of the Secretary-General to address misconduct, the Mission has expanded
the risk registers and actions to cover all forms of unsatisfactory conduct. Town hallmeetings were conducted to brief the field office personnel on ways to create andmaintain a harmonious working environment that is free of incidents of sexual
harassment.
94. In accordance with the applicable policy, information on possible unsatisfactory
conduct or misconduct was processed in a timely fashion. Some 18 a llegations wererecorded in the case management tracking system. No allegations of sexual
exploitation and abuse were recorded during the reporting period. All identified
survivors of previously reported allegations of sexual exploitation and abusecontinued to receive support from the Senior Victims’ Rights Officer in South Sudan.

VII. Violations of the status-of-forces agreement,international humanitarian law and the security ofUnited Nations personnel
95. UNMISS and the Government made significant progress on improving overall
communication and coordination, positively affecting the Mission’s operations.
Following high-level meetings between representatives of the Government and senior
officials of UNMISS, the Mission and the Joint Verification and Monitoring
Mechanism signed guidelines for the joint coordination of movement on 2 July tofacilitate the movement of the UNMISS force within South Sudan in accordance withthe status-of-forces agreement. On 27 July, UNMISS and the Mechanism held a joint
workshop, attended by the leadership of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces,
divisional commanders, representatives of the Mechanism, heads of UNMISS field
offices and UNMISS force representatives, to develop a common understanding of
the guidelines. These initiatives led to fewer incidents of access denials in Julycompared with previous months.

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96. In addition, during the high-level meetings, the issue of UNMISS contractor
trucks being detained at Mombasa, Kenya, (175 trucks) and Nimule (300 trucks)
owing to slow or no clearance by the responsible agency was discussed. All 475 trucks
were released by the Ministry following the meeting.
97. As at 31 August 2021, UNMISS had recorded 62 violations of the status-offorces agreement, compared with 135 in the previous reporting period. Of the total
number of violations, 46 involved movement restrictions im posed by theGovernment, 39 of which were the result of the failure to acknowledge information
shared by the Mission or requests made for flight safety assurance.
98. UNMISS recorded three incidents of access denial by SPLM/A -IO and armed
militia elements, which impeded the Mission’s ability to monitor and investigate thehuman rights situation in areas controlled by SPLM/A-IO.
99. In Central Equatoria, the Mine Action Service was informed by the National
Mine Action Authority that the military intelligence section of the South Sudan
People’s Defence Forces had requested the withdrawal of all teams engaged indemining and related activities along the routes from Juba to Lobonok, Mundri,
Nimule and Yei in view of tactical operations by the Defence Forces in the area. As aresult, the Mine Action Service and its partners were unable to carry out theiractivities for much of the reporting period.
100. On 5 August, a female national staff member of a United Nations agency wasreportedly assaulted by South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and South Sudan
National Police Service personnel on the Paloich road in Rumbek East County. This
incident followed a meeting on 2 August between UNMISS and the Governor ofLakes, who promised cooperation in view of the significant backlash observed after
the issuance of a press release condemning extrajudicial killings.
101. The whereabouts of two national staff members arrested in 2014 remain
unknown. The Government has neither granted UNMISS access to them nor provided
information about their condition.
102. UNMISS continued to notify the Government of the violations through notes
verbales and regular engagements. Monthly matrices of the incidents prepared for the
Security Council are also shared with the Government.

VIII. Performance of uniformed components
103. Eight UNMISS force contingents (three infantry units, four engineering units
and one military police unit) and one sector headquarters were evaluated. One
infantry unit, one engineering unit and the military police unit were assessed as above
average; two infantry units and two engineering units were assessed as excellent. The
evaluation of one engineering unit has yet to be finalized. In addition, the sector
headquarters was assessed as above average. More generally, the proposed
improvement implementation plan for different contingents included an increase intabletop exercises related to contingency planning and lessons on standard operatingprocedures for the UNMISS force. For some contingents, increased training o n therules of engagement and laws of armed conflict was proposed, with certain
contingents focusing on language skills.
104. From 3 to 6 August, the performance assessment and evaluation team for formed
police units of UNMISS commenced inspection of two units in Juba, one in Bentiu
and one in Malakal. The performance of all inspected units was found to besatisfactory.

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IX. Observations and recommendations
105. I congratulate South Sudan on its tenth anniversary as an independent State. A
decade ago, the international community pledged its support to South Sudan. That
commitment remains equally important and urgent today as the world’s youngest
nation strives to deliver peace and security to its people. As we look back on
aspirations that were not realized, we should redouble our efforts going forward. I
urge the President, Mr. Kiir, to enhance his efforts to consolidate peace. In thisendeavour, I assure the South Sudanese people of the full support of the United
Nations.
106. While I am encouraged that the permanent ceasefire largely continues to hold, I
am disturbed by the internal disputes within SPLM/A-IO. I join IGAD in reiteratingthat the Revitalized Agreement provides, and remains, the only agreed framework forachieving peace. In this regard, I applaud the swift intervention of the IGAD Councilof Ministers and express my gratitude to the Prime Minister, Mr. Hamdok, the IGAD
Secretary-General, Mr. Gebeyehu, and the IGAD Special Envoy, Mr. Wais, for theirsupport and for attempting to bridge the gap between conflicting factions.
107. The slow pace of implementation of the Revitalized Agreement, including thosemeasures related to the transitional security arrangements, is an obstacle toconsolidating peace. The lack of overall progress in achieving agreed benchmarks has
contributed to fractures within SPLM/A-IO and subsequent clashes between factions.
I call upon the factions involved to resolve their differences through dialogue and to
avoid actions that would be detrimental to the peace process. I also request the parties
to refrain from encouraging defections and supporting defectors. South Sudan cannot
risk eroding the peace gains achieved thus far.
108. I commend the recent decision of the presidency to immediately unify thecommand of the forces and graduate the Necessary Unified Forces. This decision,
which is now behind schedule, should be fully and promptly implemented, and I
confirm the continued support of the United Nations to this effort.
109. The piecemeal approach to implementing the Revitalized Agreement iscompounded by the humanitarian situation, which remains dire. New displacements
related to localized violence, extreme weather and livelihood pressures continue.
Approximately 7.2 million people are estimated to face high levels of food insecurity,with 108,000 people facing catastrophic levels of hunger.
110. I am deeply troubled by the persistent cases of conflict-related sexual violenceand other serious human rights violations, partly owing to pervasive impunity andlack of accountability and to rule of law deficits. I am similarly alarmed by theincreasing danger that humanitarians are facing in South Sudan. This year alone, fourhumanitarian workers have been killed. The Government should take the necessary
steps to ensure a safe and secure environment in order for humanitarian partners todeliver life-saving goods and services. These acts of criminality and violence muststop. The generosity of donors and the hard work of our humanitarian partners cannot
be taken for granted. The United Nations stands alongside the Revitalized Transitional
Government of National Unity in supporting initiatives that promote durable peaceand ensuring that the perpetrators of violence are brought to justice.
111. I thank the Government for removing impediments to the freedom of movementof peacekeepers. The marked improvement in access is the result of high -levelmeetings between the Government and UNMISS and the subsequent signing of theguidelines for the operational coordination of mov ement for the Mission with the
Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism.

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112. There is an alarming increase in the number of threats and attacks against United
Nations agencies and NGOs by young people frustrated by the lack of employment
opportunities. In this regard, I welcome the establishment of the high -level committee
led by the Vice-President, Mr. Machar, to address the underlying issues.
113. I encourage the Government to seize the occasion of the third anniversary of the
Revitalized Agreement, on 18 September, to refocus its efforts towards agreeing on
the critical benchmarks needed for sustaining a peaceful transitional period,
culminating in democratic elections, and to accelerate its efforts to that end.
114. In July, I submitted to the Security Council the broad requirements for the
conduct of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections following its request for a needs
assessment (see S/2021/661). The electoral process envisioned by the Revitalized
Agreement constitutes an important opportunity for the consolidation of sta bility inthe country and the creation of the conditions for its development. In this regard, I
commend the recent progress by the Government towards reconstituting theTransitional National Legislative Assembly, the launch of the consultative process for
the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing, and the establishment of atask force to oversee and coordinate transitional justice and judicial reforms.
115. I encourage the Transitional National Legislative Assembly to proceed with theincorporation of the Revitalized Agreement into the transitional constitution, to
finalize the security bills and to adopt the Political Parties Act. I also welcome theappointment of the first woman as Speaker of the Assembly, as well as the nominationof women to other key positions. Such progress notwithstanding, the parties should
continue their efforts towards reaching the 35 per cent quota for women envisioned
in the Agreement.
116. I also applaud the efforts of the Community of Sant’Egidio to bring the
Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity and non-signatories together
in order to engage in consultations towards a ceasefire agreement. I would encourage,
in particular, bringing the hold-out groups into the framework of the CeasefireTransitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism. I urge
all parties to engage in this process in good faith.
117. Finally, I convey my appreciation to the troop- and police-contributing countries
and commend the efforts made by the IGAD Heads of State and Government andCouncil of Ministers, the African Union Commission and the Community ofSant’Egidio. I thank my Special Representative, Nicholas Haysom, in particular for
adopting the three-year strategic vision for UNMISS pursuant to Security Council
resolution 2567 (2021). I also thank the uniformed and civilian personnel of UNMISS
and the United Nations country team, who have continued to work towards peace andto improve lives even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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