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SOUTH SUDAN / LACROIX VISIT
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / LACROIX VISIT
TRT: 04:26
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: PLEASE SEE SHOTLIST FOR DETAILS
FEBRUARY 2024, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Wide shot, USG and UNMISS SRSG and Chief of Staff walking from aircraft
2. Med shot, UNMISS SRSG and USG shaking GOSS President Salva Kiir’s hand
3. Med shot, UNMISS SRSG and USG shaking GOSS First Vice-President Riek Machar’s hand
4. Wide shot, USG meeting with UNMISS Senior Management
5. Med shot, USG at press conference table flanked by UNMISS SRSG and UN Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, United Nations:
“One of the key purposes of this visit is to emphasize and convey a very important message which is the continuous strong commitment of the whole UN to supporting South Sudan and I thought that it was important to convey that message at a time, where on the one hand, there are many challenges that South Sudan is confronting, but then on the other hand, there are many crises around the world, unfortunately.”
7. Med shot, UNMISS SRSG and USG seated
8. Med shot, UN Special Envoy seated
9. Wide shot, UN Special Envoy being greeted by Government official
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, United Nations:
“We, of course, discussed the process towards elections as part of the implementation of the ARCSS and how the UN could continue to work with South Sudan; in terms of accompanying South Sudan towards the holding of elections in the best possible conditions.”
5 MAY 2023, PANAKUACH BORDER, SOUTH SUDAN
11. Med shot, moving patrol shot from inside with bullet cracked windshield
12. Various shots, Peacekeepers with refugees
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, United Nations:
“We, of course, talked about the current security and humanitarian challenges in South Sudan; the intercommunal violence and the resulting impact on the humanitarian situation; the fallout from the events—the situation in Sudan with the resulting influx of returnees and refugees to South Sudan, again with humanitarian consequences and potentially with additional security impact as well.”
FEBRUARY 2024, WAU, KUAJOK, SOUTH SUDAN
14. Various shots, USG trip to Wau and Kuajok
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan / Head, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“Is it possible for there to be elections? It is with political will and if the appropriate preparations are put in place. Why? Because this is a society which particularly needs to have the best organized election, that it's possible to have, and in our encouragement of completing those preparations, we've been at pains to point out--we don't want the political stakeholders here to implement a UN conditions or UN standards or UN election. It's a South Sudan election which was negotiated in the peace agreement. So, all we are trying to do is to help people complete the obligations that they undertook when they signed that peace agreement. That's the important thing. It is to be South Sudan-owned, but it requires the South Sudanese to step up to the plate and to now grapple with those important questions that have to be answered before elections can be organized, and what is our concern? Our concern is that the country mustn't allow elections to force the country back into violence.”
FEBRUARY 2024, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
16. Various shots, USG and Special Envoy meet South Sudan Diplomatic community
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the head of UN peacekeeping, concluded today (24 Feb) his visit to South Sudan.
During his visit, he engaged with the country’s leaders, state authorities, civil society, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) peacekeepers, humanitarian partners, and members of the press.
On Friday (23 Feb), he held a press conference in Juba, the capital of South Sudan Capital.
He said, “One of the key purposes of this visit is to emphasize and convey a very important message which is the continuous strong commitment of the whole UN to supporting South Sudan and I thought that it was important to convey that message at a time, where on the one hand, there are many challenges that South Sudan is confronting, but then on the other hand, there are many crises around the world, unfortunately.”
Accompanied by Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to The Horn of Africa, Under-Secretary-General Lacroix’s visit came at a time when South Sudan is racing against the clock to hold its first post-independence elections.
Lacroix said, “We, of course, discussed the process towards elections as part of the implementation of the ARCSS and how the UN could continue to work with South Sudan; in terms of accompanying South Sudan towards the holding of elections in the best possible conditions.”
These discussions are held against a complex regional backdrop with ongoing instability in neighboring Sudan, which has resulted in some 560,000 returnees and refugees entering South Sudan, creating a need for increased humanitarian assistance and raising protection concerns.
Lacroix said, “We, of course, talked about the current security and humanitarian challenges in South Sudan; the intercommunal violence and the resulting impact on the humanitarian situation; the fallout from the events—the situation in Sudan with the resulting influx of returnees and refugees to South Sudan, again with humanitarian consequences and potentially with additional security impact as well.”
Also high on the USG’s agenda – visiting Wau and Kuajok – state capitals where communities Have been impacted not only by new arrivals from Sudan but also cross-border clashes over Abyei.
In both locations, Lacroix met local officials, humanitarian partners and UNMISS peacekeepers To get a clear sense of how the UN family can shore up collective efforts to sustain peace.
As the world’s newest nation strives to complete its delayed democratic transition, both Lacroix and Nicholas Haysom, the head of UNMISS, have a clear message for all stakeholders, Including South Sudan’s leaders and people: While the UN remains committed to helping foster durable peace, development, and prosperity here, the only way forward is through free, fair and credible electoral process that is owned and led by the South Sudanese themselves.
Haysom said, “Is it possible for there to be elections? It is with political will and if the appropriate preparations are put in place. Why? Because this is a society which particularly needs to have the best organized election, that it's possible to have, and in our encouragement of completing those preparations, we've been at pains to point out--we don't want the political stakeholders here to implement a UN conditions or UN standards or UN election. It's a South Sudan election which was negotiated in the peace agreement. So, all we are trying to do is to help people complete the obligations that they undertook when they signed that peace agreement. That's the important thing. It is to be South Sudan-owned, but it requires the South Sudanese to step up to the plate and to now grapple with those important questions that have to be answered before elections can be organized, and what is our concern? Our concern is that the country mustn't allow elections to force the country back into violence.”
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