United Nations to hold discussions on South Sudan crisis

[Elisabeth Janaina]

United Nations to hold discussions on South Sudan crisis
File photo
File photo

The United Nations will convene a meeting on the deteriorating
humanitarian situation in South Sudan, a senior UN official said.

David Shearer, the head of UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), told
reports on Thursday that the UN meeting next week would assess the
current humanitarian situation in the country.

“The first meeting on Wednesday, the 20th, will assess the current
humanitarian situation in the country. The objective of this meeting
is to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan and to
mobilize international support to meet urgent humanitarian needs,” he
said.

The UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs, according to Shearer, said the
number of people displaced in South Sudan rose to nearly four million
during the first half of this year.

The top UN official pointed out the report released includes 1.9
million who have been internally displaced and two million who have
fled to neighbouring countries, one million in Uganda alone.

The UN report also said the total number of people in real need of aid
in South Sudan had risen to 7.6 million.

Shearer said the second meeting will consider the revitalization of
the political process in South Sudan. He predicted that the
international community will agree to reach a political settlement and
support the revitalization of the peace process.

“I anticipate that discussions will centre on plans for the upcoming
IGAD-led High-Level Revitalization Forum…..the important role it can
play to update the Peace Agreement and the steps needed to create the
conditions for national elections in South Sudan,” he said.