New UNMISS management as mission mandate is extended
The mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is extended to April 2027 and the 15-year-old mission has a new head of mission and force commander to ensure its major tasks of protecting civilians and working toward peace remain top of mind.
Ghanaian Anita Gbeho succeeds South African Nicholas “Fink” Haysom, who spent five years until his death in February in Juba as mission head and Special Representative of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Haysom was appointed by the Secretary-General to his role at UNMISS in January 2021.
The new UNMISS force commander is Chinese Major General Major General Junhui Wu who succeeds Indian Army Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian.
UN Resolution 2820 (2026), approved by the Security Council in April, came at a crucial time for the world’s youngest country, a UN statement said.
“With tensions rising, the risk of a return to large scale conflict is real, with potentially devastating consequences for both the country and the wider region. Nearly 10 million people, four out of five South Sudanese, need humanitarian assistance as violence, displacement and spill-over from conflict in Sudan continue to strain already vulnerable communities.
“In this context, UNMISS remains a vital presence on the ground. The mission continues to protect civilians, support peace efforts, promote and monitor human rights and enable delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance to those most in need.”
Gbeho has over 35 years’ experience in strategic planning, co-ordination and management in political, development and humanitarian affairs at UN Headquarters and in diverse conflict and post-conflict settings, including Angola, Cambodia, Iraq, Namibia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan. Since 2024, she was Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in UNMISS, as well as Humanitarian Co-ordinator and Resident Co-ordinator in South Sudan.
Before that she was Deputy Special Representative (Political) of the Secretary-General in the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) from 2021 to 2023, Deputy Joint Special Representative of the African Union (AU)-UN hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) from 2018 to 2020 and as Resident Co-ordinator and Representative with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Namibia from 2015 to 2018. She was also Chief of Section in the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in New York and Head of Office for the Office for OCHA in Somalia and South Sudan.
Last month the Chinese three-star started his first round of visits to field locations across the country. While en route to Unity State Wu engaged with field office colleagues, contingent commanders and community members.
“It is important for me to familiarise myself with different locations in South Sudan where our troops are deployed, especially given our new mandate in which protection of civilians remains among our top priorities,” he is reported as saying.
Discussions on the ground revolved around operational challenges and the worsening impact of climate shocks in the state with Sam Muhumure, UNMISS Field Office Head in Unity, stating flooding remains a major risk to safety for more than 100 000 displaced people in the Bentiu camp for internally displaced persons.
The new UNMISS Force Commander sees partnerships with host communities as key to building trust and reinforcing UNMISS civilian protection efforts: “Strengthening co-operation between our peacekeepers and the populations we serve is the fulcrum on which a stable security environment can take shape”.
Speaking during commemorations of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers in Juba on 29 May, Gbeho said UNMISS was increasingly affected by a wider United Nations funding crisis, with financial constraints forcing it to reduce peacekeeping personnel and close some bases, even as insecurity, displacement and humanitarian needs remain high across the country ahead of planned elections in December 2026.
“UNMISS is facing mounting challenges in carrying out this important work, including the impact of the UN-wide financial crisis, which has required a significant reduction in peacekeepers and the closure of bases,” she said.
Despite the cutbacks, Gbeho said peacekeepers continue to provide protection to civilians in conflict-affected areas. She cited a recent incident in Abiemnhom, where UN peacekeepers sheltered more than 2 300 civilians during active fighting.
According to UNMISS, peacekeepers continue to conduct land, air and river patrols, secure humanitarian airdrop zones and escort aid convoys delivering life-saving assistance to vulnerable communities.
Established in 2011 following South Sudan’s independence, United Nations Mission in South Sudan remains a key international presence supporting civilian protection, peacebuilding and humanitarian operations amid recurring conflict and instability.