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STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / KIIR REGIONAL PROTECTION FORCE
TRT: 03:40
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 04 SEPTEMBER 2016, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Various shots, Security Council delegation walking with the President of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit
2. Various shots, Security Council delegation in meeting with President Kiir
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Elia Lomuro, Cabinet affairs Minister:
“The United Nations Security Council and the Transitional Government of National Unity agreed to work in a fresh spirit of cooperation, advance the interests of South Sudanese people, particular the aspiration for justice, liberty and prosperity. They agreed that the humanitarian and security needs of people were paramount. To improve security situation, the Transitional Government of National Unity gave its consent to the deployment as part of UNMISS of the regional protection force recently authorized by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2304. Further, the United Nations Security Council agreed that the troops contributing countries, UNMISS and the Transitional Government of National Unity will continue to work through the modalities of the deployment, building upon the consultations of August 25 and September 1st respectfully and anticipating any further discussions that will follow. The Transitional Government of National Unity signals its righteous in implant chapter 5 of the agreement on the resolution of the conflict of the Republic of South Sudan, including to work with the African Union in Setting up the Hybrid court for South Sudan, as soon as the African union provides proposals for its work, as provided for in that agreement.”
4. Wide shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Samantha Power, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“ We, on the UN Security Council have the utmost confidence in UNMISS’s impartiality, its independence. It is true that members from a particular ethnic group may gather at a protection of civilian site because they are afraid, because they are from that area, that has happened, that is no secret. But UNMISS has an impartial mandate to protect civilians no matter who they are, no matter where they are. The number one obstacle to fulfilling that mandate up to this point has been the severe restrictions on their movement, the requirement of written permission before they move from point A to point B. And we are very encouraged that the President Kiir was very clear in the meeting that that is not his intention, that he has asked that UNMISS to be granted free movement and that humanitarian actors to be able to provide relief to those in need, no matter where they are, no matter where they come from. So what we need to do now is to move from these very high level commitments into working out the modalities in an operational way. And again, the UN Security Council is very clear on what is needed and what is sought and the government is very receptive to sitting down. We just need to do it in a very urgent way because, of course as we all know, the population is vulnerable in different parts of the country.
The Transitional Government of National Unity – TGoNU has accepted the deployment of the deployment of the regional protection force, as part of the UN Mission in South Sudan.
The announcement was made on Sunday (04 Sep), in a joint communique issued at the end of a meeting between President Salva Kiir and the UN Security council delegation.
Cabinet affairs Minister, Martin Elia Lomuro, read out the communique to the press saying acceptance of the Regional protection force is aimed at improving the security situation.
The UN Security Council recently voted in favor of the deployment of a regional protection force in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, to provide protection to civilians.
According to the Joint Communique, the troop contributing countries, the UN mission in South Sudan and the Transitional Government of National Unity have agreed to continue working on the modalities of deployment, and to build upon the consultations that have been taking place in recent months.
Elia Lomuro said that the Transitional Government of National Unity has also committed to permit free movement to UNMISS in conformity with its mandate to protect civilians.
“Government has also committed to improve humanitarian access as provided for in the agreement , by providing assistance in eliminating illegal check points and by reviewing modalities for streamlining bureaucratic processes and access to populations in need,” said Martin Elia Lomuro.
The Council has, in its recent Resolution, expressed grave alarm over the security situation and the ongoing violence in the country, as well as the dire humanitarian consequences for the people of the country.
According to the minister, the Transitional Government of National Unity has committed to devising a plan on concrete steps to remove impediments to the UNMISS ability to implement its mandate. This plan is expected by end of September 2016.
He explained that such steps would include a review of procedures related to movement of UNMISS and streamlining the bureaucratic processes.
UNMISS on the other hand has committed to inform the TGoNU about the movements and of any other details.
The communique further states that the Transitional Government of National Unity has expressed its readiness to implement chapter 5 of the agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the republic of South Sudan.
“The TGoNU will work with African Union in Setting up the Hybrid court for South Sudan, as soon as the African union provides proposals for its work.”
On UNMISS’s mandate to protect civilians, the United States Ambassador Samantha Power said “UNMISS has an impartial mandate to protect civilians no matter who they are, no matter where they are. The number one obstacle to fulfilling that mandate up to this point has been the severe restrictions on their movement, the requirement of written permission before they move from point A to point B. And we are very encouraged that the President Kiir was very clear in the meeting that that is not his intention, that he has asked that UNMISS to be granted free movement and that humanitarian actors to be able to provide relief to those in need, no matter where they are, no matter where they come from. “
She added “what we need to do now is to move from these very high level commitments into working out the modalities in an operational way. And again, the UN Security Council is very clear on what is needed and what is sought and the government is very receptive to sitting down. We just need to do it in a very urgent way because, of course as we all know, the population is vulnerable in different parts of the country.”
