This Week in South Sudan – Week 4

Tuesday 23 January

• New satellite images show how the tiny village of Bidi Bidi, Uganda has grown into the world’s largest refugee camp since 2016.

Wednesday 24 January

• South Sudan’s embassy in London is closed due to unpaid rent since August 2017. GoSS said it is trying its best to sort the payment situation out with the landlords.
• South Sudan was ranked the third least democratic country in the world by the Freedom House’s annual report.
• In a hard-hitting speech to the Security Council, US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley asked for an arms embargo and said the US will no longer back President Salva Kiir. GoSS later summoned a top US diplomat in Juba tovoice its displeasure over Haley’s statement.

Thursday 25 January

• First Vice President Taban Deng Gai said he will not step aside if SPLA (IO) leader Riek Machar returns to Juba, reversing his earlier stance on the matter.
• Telar Ring Deng has resigned from his diplomatic post as South Sudan’s ambassador to Russia. Deng did not provided a reason for his decision.
• Al Jazeera, Inside Story on violence against humanitarian groups “Why are aid organisations increasingly targeted?”

Friday 26 January

• Reported clashes in Akobo areas, Jonglei State.

Saturday 27 January

• GoSS has temporarily waived the registration fee for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in a bid to encourage more humanitarian aid. The work permit fees however remain unchanged.
• Salva Kiir left for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to participate at the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned IGAD against taking sidesin the internal affairs of South Sudan, saying there are contradictions and conflicts of interest among the IGAD countries.
  • Adama Dieng, the U.N. secretary-general’s special adviser for the prevention of genocide, directed a similar, but more direct criticism against Uganda and Kenya in particular, stating they are both contributing to the conflict.

Monday 29 January

• The SPLA (IO) released 15 prisoners of war to The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in accordance with the December 2017 agreement.
• The AU said it is open to impose sanctions on leaders violating ceasefires in South Sudan, echoing the already increasing international diplomatic pressure.