Remarks by Ambassador Dai Bing at the UN Security Council Briefing on UNMISS
Madam President,
I thank Special Representative Nicholas Haysom for his briefing. I welcome the presence of Permanent Representative of South Sudan at today’s meeting. I have also listened attentively to the statement made by Ms. Lilian Riziq.
The political transition in South Sudan has entered a new and important stage. Last month, the signatories to the revitalized agreement agreed on a roadmap to extend the transitional period. This is a political decision made independently by all parties in South Sudan. It is also a correct choice in light of the current situation conducive to the peace process. Like the AU, IGAD, UNMISS and other international partners, China welcomes this. We hope that all parties concerned will continue to work together to achieve the remaining goals of the transitional period in accordance with the roadmap, so as to lay a solid foundation for the election. Some countries should understand the practical difficulties faced by South Sudan and take an objective view of the decision on extending the transitional period. Election should not blindly be regarded as a panacea to solve all the problems. The political efforts made on dialogue and reconciliation by the parties in South Sudan should not be ignored.
The graduation and deployment of the first cohort of South Sudan’s Necessary Unified Forces at the end of August symbolizes a significant progress in the implementation of the revitalized agreement. It marks a solid step forward in South Sudan’s peace process. China welcomes this, and believes that the NUF can play an important role in safeguarding national security and eliminating violent conflicts. It cannot be ignored that the NUF follow-ups and the implementation of other security arrangements contained in the revitalized agreement requires tangible help from the international community. Cutting off funds while complaining about delays in implementing the agreement is not an effective solution to the problem. The Council’s sanctions against South Sudan are not conducive to the NUF’s access to the security equipment needed to carry out its mandates, which has been recognized by a growing number of Council members. China once again calls on the Council to listen to South Sudan’s concerns and appeals on the issue of sanctions, lift arms embargo and other sanctions against South Sudan at an early date, and help South Sudan improve its security capacity.
As the youngest country in the world, South Sudan has a late start nd a weak foundation in development. This requires continued support from the international community. Affected by floods, food shortages, violent conflicts and other factors, South Sudan is going through dire humanitarian challenges, and is in urgent need of help. Under such circumstances, reducing development assistance and imposing indiscriminate sanctions are making things worse. The international community should not only increase humanitarian assistance to South Sudan, but also help it accelerate its independent development and acquire the capacity and resilience to counter risks and challenges and promote peace through development.
Madam President,
As an international witness to the revitalized agreement, China has always been respecting South Sudan’s sovereignty and independence, and supported it in exploring a development path suited to its own national conditions. China has recently provided material assistance to the NUF and cooperated with the UNDP on the DDR program. The Chinese peacekeepers in UNMISS are fearless and dedicated in actively carrying out their peace mission. Going forward, we will continue to work with the international community to provide support and assistance for the implementation of the revitalized agreement and help the people of South Sudan in their efforts to lead a peaceful life sooner.
Thank you, Madam President.
