The South Sudanese government has expressed frustration over the United Nations’ failure to vacate the Thongpiny base near Juba Airport, despite repeated requests.
The remarks came in response to a recent report by the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, released on Friday, which urged the country’s political leaders to address widespread impunity and corruption. The report warned that failure to do so could undermine the nation’s fragile political transition.
The UN investigation, conducted in 2024, found recurring patterns of gross human rights violations in specific locations, often involving the same public and military officials.
South Sudan’s Information Minister and Government Spokesperson, Michael Makuei, linked the report to an ongoing dispute between the government and the UN over the Thongpiny base.
He stated that the government had repeatedly asked the UN to leave the site, which is needed for airport expansion and is partially claimed by private individuals.
“We have a conflict with the UN here because we told them that the place they are occupying is needed for two reasons: one part belongs to individuals, and the other part belongs to the airport. We are expanding the airport, so we asked them to move out,” Makuei said.
He accused the UN of intransigence, stating, “They are refusing to move. They are our employees, as we are members of the UN, and they are also our guests. Where in the world does a guest insist on staying where they are not wanted? This is a crisis.”
Mr Makuei suggested that the dispute had led to sanctions against South Sudanese officials, including himself. He referenced a previous conflict over the registration of UN-owned Radio Miraya, which he said was resolved only after prolonged negotiations.
“They refused to register the radio, claiming they were the UN. I insisted, and eventually, they complied. Now, they are refusing to move from the Thongpiny base, even though they have been given alternative land,” he added.
The minister also claimed that, under an initial agreement, Radio Miraya was supposed to be handed over to the South Sudanese government after independence in 2011, but the UN had failed to honour this commitment.
“Miraya FM was supposed to be ours according to the agreement. This is one of the issues we will demand from them. They have become intransigent,” he said.
Mr Makuei emphasized that the government had issued formal warnings through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accusing the UN of using the report as a retaliatory measure.
“They wrote this report because they are not happy. They believe they can threaten us, but they will have to move out of that place,” he stated.
UN officials in Juba could not immediately be reached for comment.
The standoff highlights ongoing tensions between South Sudan and the UN, which has played a key role in the country’s peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts since its independence.