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SOUTH SUDAN / SHEARER PRESSER
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / SHEARER PRESSER
TRT: 2:22
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 22 FEBRUARY 2017, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
22 FEBRUARY 2017, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Pan right, Shearer walking into meeting room
2. Med shot, journalists
3. SOUNDBITE (English) David Shearer, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in South Sudan:
“There is nothing about these food shortages which is about drought or climatic problems, it is all about man made problems; which is conflict which has displaced people. It has meant that people are not able to partake in their ordinary livelihoods. They have been displaced and as a result of that find themselves short of coping mechanism and have to rely on outside food aid.”
4. Pan right, meeting room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) David Shearer, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in South Sudan:
“There is going to be a need for a very big donor mobilization in terms of being able to attract money to fund the short falls. We are looking at $1.6 billion humanitarian appeal this year. It’s an enormous among of money and it’s particularly tragic, as I say, because most of the problems are brought about because there isn’t peace in the country and people are leaving and fleeing their homes.”
6. Wide shot, meeting room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) David Shearer, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in South Sudan:
“Certainly the United Nations and many humanitarian organizations have struggled with gaining access. There is obviously logistical problems in state of roads but more importantly being able to get through check points and get permissions to be able to travel from one place to another. And the fact that he made a mention of this in his speech and that he will ensure that we are able to get to particular areas was very welcome as well; and we will certainly follow up on that as well.”
8. Med shot, journalists
9. SOUNDBITE (English) David Shearer, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in South Sudan:
“I think the most important thing for us is to make sure that any national dialogue is inclusive; that means that we are looking at the widest range of actors coming in to that. If we are going to be genuine about seeking peace, and ultimately there is some reconciliation involved in that, then we have to spread the dialogue wide.”
10. Wide shot, meeting room
The head of the United Nations mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said food shortages and famine being faced in some parts of the country was “all about man made problems” which have led to conflict and displacement.
Speaking to reporters in Juba today (22 Feb), David Shearer confirmed the serious nature of the food shortages in Unity State and areas around Leer which he saw first-hand during a visit to those areas some two weeks ago. He said there was “nothing about these food shortages which is about drought or climatic problems” adding that the number of people in need of food aid around the country has risen by half a million from last year to 5.5 million.
Shearer stressed the need for a “very big donor mobilization” to fund the (USD) 1.6 billion humanitarian appeal for South Sudan this year adding that this was particularly tragic “because most of the problems are brought about because there isn’t peace in the country and people are leaving and fleeing their homes.” He also raised concerns regarding humanitarian actors gaining access to those in need siting their inability to get through check points or permissions to be able to travel from one place to another.
Commenting on the national dialogue set to begin in early March, Shearer stress the need for any dialogue to be inclusive. He said, “If we are going to be genuine about seeking peace, and ultimately there is some reconciliation involved in that, then we have to spread the dialogue wide.”
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