UN extends South Sudan sanctions despite pushback from China, Russia and African states
The United Nations Security Council has extended sanctions on South Sudan until May 31, 2027, maintaining an arms embargo, travel bans and asset freezes despite deep divisions among members over whether the measures are helping or hindering peace efforts in the country.
South Sudan has been under UN sanctions linked to its civil war, which erupted in 2013 following political tensions between rival factions in the capital Juba before spreading nationwide.
A 2015 peace agreement collapsed shortly after its signing, and although a revitalised peace deal was reached in 2018, its implementation has repeatedly stalled.
The resolution, adopted on Friday, passed with nine votes in favour, none against and six abstentions. The abstaining members were China, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Liberia, Pakistan, the Russian Federation and Somalia.
Although no member voted against the measure, the high number of abstentions highlighted persistent disagreement over the effectiveness of the sanctions.
The United States, which drafted the resolution, said the Council could not ignore the deteriorating situation in South Sudan.
“We are disheartened by the lack of progress on the benchmarks and the continuing deterioration of the political and security situation in South Sudan. This is due to a lack of political will in the country,” the US representative said.
“It is farcical to suggest that such dialogue is occurring when one of the signatories to the 2018 peace agreement (Riek Machar) is under house arrest.”
Alongside the renewal of sanctions, the Council extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 2206 South Sudan Sanctions Committee until July 1, 2027. It also requested the Secretary-General, in coordination with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), to conduct an assessment of progress on key peace benchmarks by April 15, 2027.
Russia, China, and several African members criticised the sanctions, arguing they undermine South Sudan’s political process and stability. Russia called for easing the measures, while China said they place excessive pressure on the country
South Sudan’s government likewise rejected the renewal, arguing that the arms embargo limits its ability to protect civilians and strengthen national institutions. According to Juba, the sanctions are increasingly disconnected from realities on the ground and hinder state-building efforts.
“Sustainable peace is best advanced through strong national institutions, effective security arrangements and genuine national ownership of the peace process,” Juba’s representative said.