The ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to South Sudan, Amb. Tobias Eichner is winding up his two-year tour of duty come September.
In this second part of the interview with Radio Tamazuj, he speaks about the importance of preparing well for elections and the need to open civic and political space and not to infringe on freedom of speech and expression among other things.
Below are edited excerpts:
Q: Do you think South Sudan is ready for elections in December 2024?
A: Elections are very important, as everyone knows. Elections are the last element in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, the Road Map, and with free and fair elections, this transitional period is over. An elected parliament by the people is of course what we want to achieve and where we want to go. My feeling is that when I listen to politicians and members of the government, they say that all the major political parties here in South Sudan want elections. I have not heard anyone who would we are against elections. My feeling is that the people here in South Sudan also want elections. And if I may add this, they want it and they deserve it. The government and all the parties in government and or the other political groups that signed the peace agreement want elections. That is a very good starting point, but at the same time, I think it is fair to say that we are not quite there yet. Wanting elections is good, but it is one thing. The preparation is a very difficult, complex, and sophisticated job to do. I appeal to everyone to take responsibility and to take this very seriously because if it is not taken seriously, and if elections do not go well, then there is a real danger that this will lead to further conflict or even violence. And I think no one wants it.
Therefore, I think it is very important that elections are prepared with due diligence, so to speak. And I think, it is also fair to say that there is still a lot to do. There has been progress, yes, but still a lot to do. Look at the National Elections Act that still must be adopted and implemented and all the bodies that are in charge of preparing elections. What about the constitution-making process? I think it takes a while but it should not take an eternity, but that is also something that must be done. So, there are a lot of questions. When I look at what our colleagues from the United Nations, UNMISS say, I think the assessment is that at the moment the country is not ready. But at the same time, there is still not much time left and I think it is important that this time that is left until December 2024 will be used with efficiency and determination. And if I am not mistaken, the Security Council, when it extended the mandate of UNMISS in spring, requested a report to be written by the SRSG here in South Sudan, and this report I think is due in mid-October and this will be about the question whether the country will be ready for elections in December 2024. I think we should all have a very close look at this report and then see what path we can continue and what needs to be done and if elections in December 2024 are a realistic possibility.
Q: In South Sudan, the civil society can hardly do their work, media freedoms are restricted and journalists are arrested as well. What is Germany doing to ensure that South Sudanese have freedom of expression ahead of elections?
A: I think freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and civic space, are extremely important elements that must be there before elections take place, not only in South Sudan, but in any country of the world. Elections are a technical endeavor, no question. But first of all, a democratic election means competition, the best idea, the best candidates, and the best program, and this is only possible in an atmosphere where people are free to open their mouths and say what they think. So, this is not just something nice to have. These are indispensable conditions for holding free and fair elections. Let me be very honest, it is very difficult again for a foreign country or an embassy to really change the course of things. I think that is not our job here in South Sudan. But of course, we say how we see things and what we think still needs to be done, and we do this among others in international fora, like for example, the Human Rights Council of the United Nations in Geneva, where Germany is a member. We supported the extension of the mandate of the Human Rights Commission on South Sudan, this is a commission that has been working for several years, coming to South Sudan on a regular basis and writing reports and saying where there are problems in the field of human rights here in South Sudan. I hear regularly that this is about bad-mouthing South Sudan and about saying bad things about South Sudan, I can tell you this is not the case for us. It is something where I think we all should work together. The South Sudanese government, by the way, has been cooperating with this commission, which is a good thing. It is about looking forward, It is about identifying areas where there are problems and identifying measures on how to improve things. For example in the field of SGBV which is still a big problem here in South Sudan. Let me say this very quickly when we are talking about human rights in South Sudan and I say this as the German ambassador, there are also reports about Germany, you know, there are also reports about all countries in the world. These reports about Germany are regularly prepared and discussed in the Human Rights Council in Geneva and there are a lot of points where Germany is criticized and then it is our job as Germans to have a look at it and to see where we can improve and how we can improve. So, these kinds of things are not a one-way stream. We support these processes in the interest of human rights, because for us respect for human rights is a very important element of our foreign policy, and this is what we say not only in South Sudan. This is what we say around the world and also in this field we want to make our contribution because we think it is important.
Q: Before we come to the end of this interview, what would you say about the security situation in the country? Do you think it is safe for investors?
A: When I meet politicians and members of the government, I regularly hear the question “Why are there so few investors and companies from Germany?” Ten years ago that was very different and we had big German brand names here. Why are they not here any longer? And what needs to be done? So, we are talking about private investments. Private investments mean that people invest their own money. That is the very definition of private investment, of entrepreneurs. It is not the state like in development cooperation or humanitarian assistance. That is what the state does and it is paid by the taxpayer. But when companies come, it is the shareholders, it is the owners of the company who invest their money. South Sudan is not the only country in the world where you can invest. You can have a choice of 190 countries and you compare them when you want to invest money and then somehow you go for what you think is the best investment destination. What is very difficult is when there is continued violence like, unfortunately, what we are still seeing in some areas of South Sudan. This is something that puts investors off and that is a no-go.
The other thing is the legal framework. Investors need and want a functioning legal system in the sense that if anything goes wrong, if there is an argument if you do not agree with your partners and you do not want to do it, and there might be a situation where you need to go to court but will you really be able to do that? These are very important elements for investment to take place.
I am 100 percent sure if these conditions are met, then it will not take a long time until there is an investment, even from Germany. For us as a state, we cannot tell our people and our investors what to do and where to invest their money. It is their money and they are free to decide. I think there is a lot to do in terms of improving framework conditions and other conditions that I just spoke about that would contribute to increasing foreign investments and more prosperity in South Sudan.
Q: What is your final message?
A: For me the last two years have been an extremely interesting experience. I must say what I like the most is the trips that I make to various parts of the country. I have not been to all the states of South Sudan, but almost all of them, and I am a little bit proud of those trips that I could make thanks to the UN organizations, GIZ, and other institutions that were organizing those trips. They were short and I managed to only meet a few people, but I think it was still much better than not travelling at all.
I must say these trips were the highlights of my time here in South Sudan, to meet people on the ground, especially those who were often in very dire and difficult situations. Nevertheless, they were very open and joyful and happy people and sometimes it was also very funny and nice encounters. When I think back, these were the most cheerful experiences that I had in this country.
I think it is important to take the future into one’s own hands. We, the representatives of the international community, can support and make a contribution or do this and that, but at the end of the day, it is the people of South Sudan and the government that are in the driver’s seat. That is something that is always important to be aware of, to be responsible, to develop ownership, and to know where the goal is and how to get there. Once this has been identified and decided upon, then on that basis, there’s always the possibility of having other countries, friends, partners to assist and to help. But again, South Sudan is in the driver’s seat.
Q: Finally, Ambassador Tobias, where do you see South Sudan in the future?
A: My wishes concerning South Sudan and my preferences are probably not so much different from what many other people think and how they see it. I wish South Sudan and all its inhabitants that there will be a future where conflict resolution and balancing interests will always be done in a peaceful way unlike in the past. There are always conflicts in all countries in the world. The question is just how to settle them and this should be done in a peaceful way. I wish the people of South Sudan more prosperity. This is what they want and this is what they deserve and this is where we want to continue to be with them.