The U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Elizabeth Campbell has said that her country is profoundly frustrated by the Government of South Sudan’s lackluster preparations for credible, free and fair General Elections in December 2024.
The National Security Council Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs Josh Black and Campbell visited Juba from 16-19 July and met with President Salva Kiir Mayardit, other senior transitional government officials, civil society representatives, United Nations and diplomatic community partners, and humanitarian aid organizations. They also visited the Gorom Refugee Settlement on the outskirts of Juba.
“The United States is deeply disappointed by the transitional government’s lack of progress toward creating the conditions necessary for genuine and peaceful elections. We call upon all parties to engage in dialogue, both among leaders in Juba and at the Tumaini Initiative talks in Kenya,” she said in a statement. “Willingness to engage in dialogue is a key indicator of political will to take the steps needed to establish a better future for the South Sudanese people. We also expressed concern that the current version of the National Security Service Act includes a warrant-free arrest provision, which would be a significant and troubling step toward further closing of political and civic space.”
According to Campbell, they outlined the magnitude of U.S. humanitarian assistance in South Sudan.
“Our July 5 announcement of over $57 million to address the urgent needs of crisis-affected people, plus the July 18 impressive commitment from U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, brings the total amount of U.S. Government humanitarian assistance in South Sudan to nearly $399 million to date in Fiscal Year 2024,” she stated. “The total U.S. humanitarian assistance to South Sudan since independence exceeds $7.3 billion.”
The U.S. senior official said that they emphasized the transitional government’s responsibility to use public revenue to assist the approximately 75 percent of its population in need of humanitarian aid, as well as the more than 740,000 people, mostly South Sudanese, who have fled from Sudan since April 2023.
“We called for the establishment of a system for full and consistent implementation of exemptions from taxes, duties, and fees for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), UN agencies, humanitarian organizations, and diplomatic missions,” the statement read in part.
Campbell underscored that the U.S. relationship with South Sudan began decades ago and is based on values, including belief in peace, human rights, democracy, and the duty of a government to be responsive to its people’s needs.
“We look to South Sudan’s leaders to demonstrate alignment with these values,” she stressed.