Christian Sedat, German Ambassador to South Sudan, has said Germany and other donors will diligently continue supporting the people of South Sudan but that the responsibility is upon the government to use their funds for the needs of the population. He emphasized that donor funding can only be additional and cannot replace the obligations of the Government of South Sudan. He contends that South Sudan is rich in natural resources and there is a discussion among South Sudanese politicians and academics about how the revenue from these natural resources has been used in the past years and how they can be better used in the future with more transparency to improve the situation of the South Sudanese population.
In an exclusive interview with Radio Tamazuj which touched on a broad range of issues, the envoy reiterated the call by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her visit to Juba for the urgent and swift implementation of the 2018 peace agreement and for a constructive approach with the view to finding consensus of outstanding issues.
Find below the edited excerpts:
Welcome Ambassador.
A: It is a pleasure to be on the airwaves of Radio Tamazuj today and it is a privilege to do this interview because it is Human Rights Day. For me, it is very fitting because the human rights situation in South Sudan is one of the priorities of the German Embassy in Juba. This strong link to Radio Tamazuj is obvious because human rights include the freedom of the press and the media. I would like to start this interview by paying respect to the whole team of Radio Tamazuj and I would to say that for so many, like the German Embassy, Radio Tamzuj is one of the very important sources to inform ourselves about the situation here in South Sudan, and I would like to say a very big thank to the whole team of Radio Tamazuj for your important work on this Human Rights Day.
Q: Could you tell us about the importance of the recent visit by high-level German government officials to South Sudan?
A: We have had several high-ranking visits from Germany they had one crucial message. The message is there is a war in Ukraine and there is a crisis in the Middle East but for Germany, the situation in South Sudan is important, that is the message of these high-ranking visits. When we take a look at all these official visits from different countries here in Juba in 2024, I am convinced that the visit of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was of particular importance to South Sudan. Let me just recall the key message of the German foreign minister which she conveyed to the leadership of South Sudan: that it is of utmost importance to improve the measures of transparency on revenues from natural resources like oil and gold. The German foreign minister also called for a swift implementation of the peace agreement. We had other visits as well like the one by high-ranking parliamentarians here in October who came to inform themselves about the situation in South Sudan and also about the humanitarian situation.
To sum up your question, these visits show that despite everything that is going on elsewhere in the world, Germany is engaged in South Sudan.
Q: Ambassador, how would you rate the bilateral relations between Germany and South Sudan?
A: Germany has been a close friend to the people of South Sudan and we have been at their side and supported them long before South Sudan achieved its independence. Let us recall, for example, the engagement of German churches, especially during the times of conflict, or let us recall the projects of GTZ, now called GIZ, these projects provided key health facilities to the population.
Today, I can say Germany is one of the largest bilateral donors of humanitarian assistance and also of development cooperation. I think that is very important that despite the severe budget cuts which we had in Germany and also in other countries, we still manage to keep up our humanitarian engagement. In 2024, we have provided around USD 65 million in South Sudan for humanitarian assistance and stabilization. I can say that Germany is engaged in every possible domain where we can support the people of South Sudan.
Q: Could you mention the key areas of development cooperation you are prioritizing in South Sudan?
A: We are the second largest bilateral donor with around USD 300 million in current development projects. For example, in the field of promoting agriculture, local governance, gender issues, and also very important projects in the water sector. In addition to this, there is regional cooperation with German support.
I brought some breaking news with me for the listeners that the German Government has just committed Euro 64 million to the East Africa Community for the coming two years. It was just last week that the director for East Africa and the German Ministry for Cooperation and Development signed the contract here. The people of South Sudan will also profit from this because South Sudan is a member of the East African Community. What I really would like to highlight is that part of this support, mainly Euro 23 million, will be there to upscale support for pandemic preparedness and to prevent transmissible diseases. We are all very worried about the upsurge of cholera cases in South Sudan so this funding is of utmost importance.
Q: What has been the impact of this huge funding over time for the people of South Sudan?
A: I would like to take one example so let’s take a look at the German engagement in the water sector because a few months ago I had the privilege of handing over, together with UNICEF, a water supply system in Torit in Eastern Equatoria which gives more than 40,000 people in the area easier access to clean drinking water. It was a large and comprehensive project comprising water tanks, a pipe system, and 24 water kiosks were built.
The GIZ trained local technicians on how to purify water for drinking, and on that day I had the opportunity to interact with the people in Torit to hear from them how the water system changed their everyday life. It was not only in Torit but a few months before, our head of cooperation handed over a similar water supply system to Yambio and we did similar projects in Yei and here in Juba. So, to me, these water systems that Germany financed make a very big difference in the everyday lives and for the basic needs of South Sudanese citizens.
Q: What is your take on the recent extension of the tenure of the government and the transitional period for two more years?
A: Our support for the population of South Sudan has not been affected but I will also say that we share the disappointment of so many South Sudanese citizens because it also meant postponement once again of election.
We have seen in surveys that the citizens of South Sudan want their voices heard through elections and they are eager to vote for the first time since independence yet elections had to be postponed once again because the necessary obligations on the peace agreement were not implemented and preparations for the elections was just not sufficiently there. We can understand the disappointment of so many.
Q: Germany has been one of the largest supporters of South Sudan. For how long will this support continue?
A: Germany is one of the largest donors in South Sudan but we all know that our funds are more and more under pressure because of the growing number of crises; there are growing humanitarian needs throughout the world. However, I want to say here to your listeners that we will stay engaged for the people of South Sudan but what we really need to see is a commitment from the transitional government of South Sudan to take ownership and provide themselves the necessary funds for the needs of the population. This is the responsibility of the government. We know of course about the current difficulties because since February the oil pipeline has not been operating.
Everyone to whom I talk in South Sudan agrees that the country is rich in natural resources and I have the impression that there is an important discussion going on among South Sudanese politicians and academics about how the revenue from these natural resources has been used in the past years and how they can be better used in the future with more transparency to improve the situation of the South Sudanese population. Germany and other donors will remain engaged but the responsibility is upon the government to use their funds for the needs of the population. We will continue to help but our support can only be additional and cannot replace the obligations of the Government of South Sudan.
Q: What is your assessment of progress in the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement?
A: We fully support and encourage the speedy implementation of the peace agreement. Today, 10 December, it is already almost three months since the decision was taken to extend the transitional period again. Our assessment at the German Embassy would be that we are yet to see that the transitional government has changed its approach and has started to implement the key issues, for example, to make significant progress on the Necessary Unified Forces or to provide sufficient funding for the constitutional review process. I would also like to say that the support from the international community is there and as one example I would like to highlight the continued support from the internationally respected legal institution, the Max Planck Foundation of Germany, which is here with the support of the European Union to offer its legal expertise to the constitutional review process. Our support is there but we urge the Government of South Sudan to implement the obligations of the peace agreement.
Q: What is your opinion of the ongoing Tumaini Initiative peace talks in Nairobi?
A: The German government is very supportive of the Tumaini Initiative and I think we have to be grateful to the Government of Kenya for taking this mediation initiative and we have been following closely over the last month. We really welcomed the resumption of the talks again last week and we encourage all participants at the talks to approach them to reach a compromise and find solutions that will bring durable peace to South Sudan. We urge all actors who have not joined the talks to follow the invitations and become part of the process.
Q: Ambassador, what would you like to see accomplished during the extended transitional period?
A: My impression is that nobody was really satisfied in September when we heard from the transitional government that only 10 percent of the agenda of the revitalized peace agreement had been fully completed. I recall that at a crucial meeting of RJMEC when the vote on extending the transitional period was taken, one member of the civil society did the calculations that if the speed of the previous implementation continued, the result was implementation of the peace agreement would be completed after 2050. Everyone will agree that this is not an option that would be in the interest of the people of South Sudan. I think it is very clear that something has to fundamentally change in the approach to the implementation by the Transitional Government. We as part of the international community are waiting to see results to show that political will is there to implement the agreement.
Q: You support some cultural projects in South Sudan. What informed this decision?
A: Today is the start of the Juba Film Festival and we are very excited about it because the German Embassy is proud to be a supporter of the festival beginning in 2016. It is all about South Sudanese filmmakers telling their stories and we are excited that the festival will show as many as 38 South Sudanese films which will be running in competition. Last year, four South Sudanese films from the festival were invited to the Zanzibar International Film Festival and got international attention. So, I am looking forward to the opening of the festival later today and the award ceremony on Saturday afternoon. We do this as an opportunity to show the potential of South Sudanese filmmakers, actors, and actresses. Our support is a contribution to empower them to tell their stories.
Q: What is your message to the leaders and people of South Sudan?
A: My message would be the same as the one of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock passed to the leadership of South Sudan while she was here in Juba. The message is how important is the urgent and swift implementation of the 2018 peace agreement. The minister asked for a constructive approach with the view to finding a consensus on outstanding issues. I think these messages from the German foreign minister are as relevant and important today as they were when she was here in Juba.