The United States Ambassador to South Sudan told the South Sudanese government that Washington will not support elections scheduled for June 2015.
“We continue to think that there was not much time to organize the election, there was not much security for the organization of the election, and there was not much personnel to finance this election,” said Ambassador Charles Twining.
“On the other hand, you are a sovereign country and you can have elections tomorrow if it is what you believe is appropriate. We do not believe it is appropriate because a peace process is underway and we want to see peace process concluded,” he said at a press conference in Juba.
Twining said that he met Friday morning with South Sudanese Foreign Affairs Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin where he expressed Washington’s position on the matter.
“We have a peace process that is going on now, and there were agreements even last May that elections will be held once there is a transitional government and the government can organize the election. This is what we want to see happen and if that does not happen, as things are looking, the US is not going to support the election of June 30th,” Twining said.
Separately, Linda I. Etim, Deputy Assistant Administrator of USAID in Africa, called on both sides to respect NGOs and humanitarian workers striving to assist South Sudanese citizens in need.
“The warring parties bear full responsibility. All parties to the conflict need to give humanitarian workers the access they need to reach people. We call on both parties to stop harassing NGOs and humanitarian workers,” she said.
Etim warned that if fighting continues and access limitations persist, humanitarians will have to continue air drops which cost eight times as much as moving relief by road.
She said malnutrition among children needs to improve more as the UN Children’s Fund and partners treated nearly 88,000 children under age five for malnutrition in December and January.
Radio Tamazuj Photo: US Ambassador to South Sudan Charles Twining speaks at a press conference in Juba 16 January 2015.