This Week in South Sudan – Week 26

Monday 23 June

• Kuol Manyan Juuk, South Sudan’s defence minister denied that he wants to resign.
• Salva Kiir attended the African Union Summit in Equatorial Guinea.
• The IGAD announced that the Addis Ababa peace talks are adjourned due to disagreements over inclusivity.
• Warrap authorities denied involvement in cattle raid in Unity State.
• 7.3 million people were at risk of food insecurity.

Tuesday 24 June

• The Director General of UNESCO arrived in South Sudan.
• South Sudan presidency warned against promoting a federalism debate.
• South Sudan’s Defence Minister, Kuol Manyang Juuk announced that Ugandan troops will remain in South Sudan.
• The former political detainees reacted to the adjournment of the peace talks and described it as “unpatriotic”.

Wednesday 25 June

• South Sudan was announced the most fragile state in the world according to the Fund for Peace and Foreign Policy Magazine index of fragile states.
• South Sudan renewed its commitment to the UN Action Plan to prevent recruitment of child soldiers.
• UNMISS discussed transit of humanitarian aid with Sudan’s Vice President.
• Riek Machar wrote a letter explaining the SPLM/A-in-Opposition’s position on the IGAD peace talks to the UN General Secretary.
• IGAD discussed asking the UN for approval to implement sanctions towards South Sudan.
• UN reported that 101,333 people are seeking shelter in South Sudan UN bases.

Thursday 26 June

• SPLM/A-in-Opposition was accused of blocking humanitarian aid in Jonglei.
• The UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon met with Salva Kiir and urged him to continue the negotiations with Machar.
• The Yau Yau Peace deal was rectified by South Sudan MPs.
• SPLM/A-in-Oppostion denied accusations of blocking humanitarian aid.

Friday 27 June

• The South Sudan Vice President visited China.
• The AU inquiry commission on the South Sudan conflict requested an extension of its mandate.
• South Sudan political parties urged Kiir and Machar to continue the peace negotiations.
• The IGAD chief negotiator met with the UN Security Council.
• The United Nations special representative to the secretary-general for children and armed conflict, Leila Zesrrougui asked for immediate demobilization of child soldiers in South Sudan.

Saturday 28 June

• Ezekiel Lol Gatkouth, one of the former political detainees, announced that he wishes to join the SPLM/A-in-Opposition.

Sunday 29 June

• SPLM/A-in-Opposition criticized the IGAD mediation process and the ‘rush’ to form an interim government.