South Sudan transitional government praised on Tuesday the role played by the United Nations peacekeepers in pushing for peace, development and also provision of humanitarian support over the years in the country.
Mary Nawai Martin, the national minister of parliamentary affairs said during the 78th anniversary of the United Nations Day held at Nyakuron cultural center in Juba.
“The UN has been steadfast and strategic partner for South Sudan since our nation become a member state in 2011, we have collaborated with UN in various ways to advance peace, development and humanitarian efforts in our country,” Martin said.
She said joint cooperation with the UN has helped put the country which was recently mired in unending conflict toward democratic trajectory with the legitimate government in place.
Martin said the government and partners are focused on delivering peace, security to ensure South Sudanese have access to food, education and health services.
Marie Helen Verney, the country representative for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in South Sudan, said the food system in South Sudan faces challenges, adding that much work is needed to achieve the 2030 sustainable development goals.
“We have seen the challenges in South Sudan, its food system, its social protection, education and health there are so many challenges and there is so much work to do towards sustainable development,” Verney said.
Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the Secretary General said a combination of factors presents a high mountain to climb for South Sudan if it is to deliver on their commitments.
‘But it is our firm belief that this nation can live up to its potential as a land of great abundance and opportunity; that it can showcase ingenuity and innovation; and that the dividends of peace are within its grasp,” Haysom said.
He said the UN family has been closely involved with establishing essential institutions that can enable sustainable development to take root – that is, upon a foundation of human rights, the rule of law, justice and accountability.
“We believe the challenges ahead can bring out the best in the South Sudanese, if a sense of common destiny and shared future compels the imperative to work together. These are the true values of the UN Charter,” Haysom said.
He added the inspirational success and popularity of South Sudan’s national basketball team, the Bright Stars, illustrates how the people of South Sudan yearn for their nation-building moment, and the spirit of what can be achieved when rivalries and differences are put aside.
“It’s time for the political class and signatory parties to marry that dream with reality, and for the international community and the United Nations to stay the course towards that objective. I am confident that with a spirit of compromise, consensus, and partnerships among all stakeholders, this is possible,” Haysom noted.
