US defends UN Security Council’s extension of arms embargo on South Sudan
The UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan in July 2018 to stop weapons from fueling its civil war, which had led to thousands of deaths and severe human rights violations. The arms embargo and related sanctions have been renewed annually, most recently extended to May 31, 2026.
The United States has defended the United Nations Security Council's decision to extend an arms embargo against South Sudan and sanctions against targeted individuals, noting that the move is not intended to punish the country but rather those benefiting from the country's ongoing civil war.
The UN Security Council voted for the extension on May 30 at the UN headquarters in New York, extending the arms embargo, travel bans and sanctions until May 31, 2026.
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Reports indicate that nine nations voted in favour of the extension, namely: Denmark, Greece, Guyana, France, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, United States.
Algeria, China, the Russian Federation, Pakistan, Somalia and Sierra Leone abstained during the vote, voicing disappointment that the resolution fell short of tackling key issues in South Sudan.
Explaining the Council's decision after the vote, Acting US Alternate Representative to the United Nations, John Kelley, noted that it aims to deter those benefiting from the armed conflict and not harm civilians.
"Escalating violence in recent months has brought South Sudan to the brink of civil war. Too many innocent lives have been lost due to gun violence and armed conflict. The arms embargo remains necessary to stem the unfettered flow of weapons into a region already awash with guns," said Kelley.
The UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan in July 2018 to stop weapons from fueling its civil war, which had led to thousands of deaths and severe human rights violations. The arms embargo and related sanctions have been renewed annually, most recently extended to May 31, 2026.
International organisations continue to worry about ongoing violence in South Sudan, maintaining that the embargo should stay in place until significant progress is made.
Speaking on the same day, South Sudan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Cecilia Adut Manyok, stated that the sanctions are impeding the training and stationing of the Necessary Unified Forces, which are a key part of the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement.
She added that South Sudan is already working on unifying its army ahead of the country's 2026 polls, but noted that the sanctions are going to make the process more difficult.
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