United Nations Security Council Resolution 2729 – Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan (UNMISS)

Resolution 2729 (2024)

The Security Council,

Recalling its previous resolutions, statements of its President, and press statements concerning the situation in South Sudan,

Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and national unity of the Republic of South Sudan, and recalling the importance of the principles of non-interference, good-neighbourliness, and regional cooperation,

Affirming its support for the 2018 “Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan” (the Revitalized Agreement),

Stressing that the peace process only remains viable with the full commitment by all parties, and urging the full implementation without delay of the Revitalized Agreement and of the Agreement on the Roadmap to a Peaceful and Democra tic end of the Transition Period of the R-ARCSS (the Roadmap), further stressing that only through the implementation of the Revitalized agreement’s provisions for peaceful, unified security forces, use of public resources for the common good, accountability mechanisms, the creation and funding of electoral institutions and political and civil space leading to free and fair elections, carried out in a transparent, credible, peaceful and timely manner, undisturbed by disinformation and other forms of informa tion manipulation can bring lasting stability to South Sudan,

Urging the South Sudanese transitional government and future leadership to focus on delivering the long-term development needs of their people, to build democratic institutions, and ensure good governance,

Noting the steps taken in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement, including in the implementation of chapter II, on training and deployment of the first batch of the Necessary Unified Forces, on submission of bills to the Parliamen t for the establishment of the commission for truth, reconciliation and healing and a compensation and reparation authority, on the reconstitution of the national constitutional review commission to draft the permanent constitution, the reconstitution of the national elections commission, and the reconstitution of the political parties council, and urging the South Sudanese transitional government to distribute the funding it has committed to these commissions,

Recalling preambular paragraphs of resolution 2677 (2023), including with reference to the security, humanitarian, economic and human cost of the conflict in all its forms, the many challenges facing UNMISS and the people of South Sudan, and the critical role, functions, and operations of UNMISS,

Recognizing the Secretary-General’s report from 22 February 2023, in which he called upon the Government and parties to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access along the Nile River corridor which will enable the delivery of services to the most vulnerable persons, and urged that the corridor is given adequate consideration for its potential to contribute to economic and social development of South Sudan and recommended that in this endeavor UNMISS should provide the required support as needed,

Expressing appreciation for the leadership of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in advancing the peace process for South Sudan and welcoming the commitment and efforts of IGAD and its member states, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), the African Union (AU), including the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) and the AU High-Level Ad hoc Committee for South Sudan (C5), the United Nations (UN), and countries in the region to continue engaging with South Sudanese leaders to address the current crisis, and encouraging their continued and proactive engagement,

Encouraging the resumption of political dialogue between signatories and non-signatories of the Revitalized Agreement and encouraging all parties to continue their efforts to peacefully resolve disputes in order to achieve an inclusive and sustainable peace,

Encouraging the Government of South Sudan to continue engaging with the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) to enhance international support for South Sudan’s peacebuilding objectives,

Strongly condemning all human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law by all parties, including armed groups and national security forces, reiterating the urgent need to end impunity in South Sudan and to bring justice to all those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, and expressing grave concern at ongoing reports of sexual and gender-based violence, including the findings of the report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict in South Sudan (S/2023/99) and on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence to the Security Council (S/2023/413) of the use of sexual and gender-based violence as a tactic by parties to the conflict against the civilian population in South Sudan, including use of rape and sexual slavery for the purpose of intimidation and punishment, based on perceived political affiliation, and employed as part of a strategy targeting members of ethnic groups, and further expressing concern that sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls has persisted after the signing of the Revitalized Agreement, as documented in the March 2024 report published by the UN Commission of Human Rights in South Sudan (CHRSS) on “Conflict-Related Sexual Violence against women and girls in South Sudan”, and noting that violations and abuses involving sexual and gender-based violence may amount to international crimes, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, but welcoming South Sudan’s depositing of instruments of ratification to the Maputo Protocol and to UN human rights treaties, including the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights,

Expressing grave concern over the high numbers of violations and abuses against children, in particular the increase in those involving the continuing recruitment and use of children, as well as killing and maiming and sexual and gender based violence being committed by all parties to the conflict, and calling on all actors to contribute to the rehabilitation and reintegration of children and youth formerly associated with armed groups and forces,

Expressing serious and urgent concern over the more than 2.2 million internally displaced persons and ongoing humanitarian crisis, over 9 million in need of humanitarian assistance, and the estimated 7.1 million people who face severe food insecurity and the risk of famine in some areas, according to the Famine Early Warning System, further expressing concern that the conflict in Sudan has further compounded humanitarian need in South Sudan including through the influx of 651,000 refugees and returnees, and that the serious deterioration in the economic situation will further increase levels of humanitarian need, encouraging the South Sudanese authorities to work in close partnership with the UN, and International and national NGOs to ensure life-saving humanitarian assistance reaches those in need,

Recalling its resolution 2417 (2018) that recognizes the need to break the vicious cycle among armed conflict, displacement, and food insecurity, condemning the unlawful denial of access by humanitarian personnel to civilians in armed conflict and underlining that the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare may constitute a war crime, strongly condemning all attacks against humanitarian personnel and facilities that resulted in the deaths of 18 personnel since 2022, including four thus far in 2024, further condemning obstructions by all parties of civilians and humanitarian actors seeking to reach civilians in need of assistance, expressing grave concern at the imposition of taxes and illegal fees which hamper the delivery of humanitarian assistance across the country, and commending United Nations humanitarian agencies, partners, and donors for their efforts to provide urgent and coordinated support to the population,

Expressing grave concern at reports of ongoing human rights violations and abuses, including reports of sexual and gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence against women and girls, violations and abuses against children and abductions of women and children, further expressing concern at the reports documented by the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan of ongoing repression of civic and political space, including the harassment, targeting, censorship, arbitrary arrest and enforced disappearance of members of civil society, journalists, human rights defenders, and humanitarian personnel, as well as undue and continued restrictions of freedoms of opinion, expression, peaceful assembly and association,

Stressing the importance of transitional justice measures included in Chapter V of the Revitalised Agreement, to end impunity and promote accountability, bring to justice all those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights, facilitate national reconciliation and healing, and ensure a sustainable peace, particularly those efforts undertaken by the UN-mandated Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, expressing serious concern over the delays in the establishment of transitional justice mechanisms called for in Chapter V of the Revitalised Agreement,

Emphasizing that persistent barriers to full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), and subsequent resolutions addressing women, peace, and security, including resolution 2242 (2015), will only be dismantled through dedicated commitment to gender equality, women’s empowerment, education, participation, and human rights, as well as concerted leadership, consistent information and action, and support, to facilitate women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in all levels of decision -making and leadership,

Recognizing the adverse effects of climate change, ecological changes, land degradation, food insecurity, and natural disasters, among other factors, on the humanitarian situation and stability in South Sudan, calling on the government to engage with local communities to address these challenges, and emphasizing the need for comprehensive risk assessments and risk management strategies by the GoSS and the United Nations to inform programs relating to these factors, and acknowledging the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, and underlining the importance of mobilizing resources from the international community to support capacity building programs and, technology transfer and to strengthen South Sudan’s resilience to address the effects of climate change,

Taking note of South Sudan leaders’ commitments to the people of South Sudan to hold elections, underlining the primary responsibility of the GoSS in organizing and funding free and fair, peaceful elections that should be carried out in an inclusive, transparent, peaceful, and timely manner, undisturbed by disinformation and other forms of information manipulation,

Expressing deep concern about the delays in meeting the transitional government’s obligations as articulated in the Roadmap, and further recognizing that free and fair, conducted through a peaceful process, necessitate that the GoSS fulfills its commitment to promptly execute key benchmarks for the constitutional process and create conditions for the protection of civic and political space, and ensure the will of all eligible South Sudanese voters and the full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation and inclusion of women, and safe, meaningful and diverse inclusion of youth, persons with disabilities, IDPs, South Sudanese refugees, as well as members of all political groups is critical for a transition toward a stable, inclusive, democratic, and self-reliant state,

Expressing alarm at the outbreak of violence in the Malakal POC site, which led to several killings and the mass displacement of 8,000 Nuer into Malakal Town, and further stressing that any future re-designation of Malakal as a PoC site should be in line with the criteria defined in paragraph 18 (d) of resolution 2567 (2021), informed by the needs and will of local communities,

Commending the work of UNMISS, and expressing its deep appreciation for the actions taken by UNMISS peacekeepers and troop- and police-contributing countries in implementing the UNMISS mandate in a challenging environment,

Determining that the situation in South Sudan continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region,

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

Adopted by the Security Council at its 9620th meeting, on 29 April 2024.