The UNSC authorized the deployment of additional forces to South Sudan but in December it failed to pass a resolution calling for more sanctions and an arms embargo [Xinhua]
The government of South Sudan on Saturday reportedly appeared to renege on an earlier statement that it remains opposed to the deployment of more UN peacekeepers.
Stephane Dujarric, the Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said that South Sudanese Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Martin Lumoro, confirmed that “in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions the government would continue to facilitate the deployment of the regional force”.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) had started talks with the government to reinforce its ranks in order to help stabilize the country.
UNMISS said it entered talks with the transitional government to specify where the new regional protection force will be deployed in the capital, Juba.
But earlier in the week, a spokesman for South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that his government would no longer accept 4,000 additional UN peacekeepers proposed last August and agreed by the Security Council.
In November, the South Sudan government had sent by communique to the Security Council its “unconditional” consent to the deployment of the Regional Protection Force.
“In renewing the UNMISS mandate, including the deployment of the Regional Protection Force, the Security Council reaffirmed its determination that the security situation in South Sudan remains fragile, with serious consequences for the civilian population in South Sudan,” the UN said.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest independent nation, has seen civil war for much of its 5 years in existence.
The security situation in South Sudan, which celebrated its fifth independence anniversary on July 9, began to deteriorate on December 15, 2013 when Kiir accused Machar of masterminding a coup attempt. Some reports said that members of the Presidential Guard loyal to Machar engaged in a gun battle with security forces supporting Kiir.
Hostilities erupted when other supporters of the two men, from rival tribes, clashed in Juba.
In late December, the UN Security Council rejected a US-drafted resolution imposing an arms embargo and more sanctions on South Sudan.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
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