President, 

I thank Special Representative Nicholas Hayson and Director Edem Wosornu for their briefings. I have also listened attentively to the statement by Ms. Jackline Nasiwa. I welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of South Sudan at today’s meeting.

Recently, the situation in South Sudan remains tense, with intensified clashes in areas such as Upper Nile State resulting in casualties and a deteriorated humanitarian situation. In light of the Secretary-General’s report, I wish to emphasize the following points. 

First, it is crucial to safeguard national peace and stability. We commend President Kiir’s statement that the country will not go back to war. We call on all parties in South Sudan to put the overall interests of the country and people first, exercise maximum calm and restraint, and make every effort to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control and the conflict from spreading. At the same time, we urge the swift resumption of dialogue and consultations to tackle disputes and differences by peaceful means. We support the Government of South Sudan in fulfilling its primary responsibility to protect civilians and in continuing to advance inter-communal dialogue and reconciliation to achieve peaceful coexistence. We support the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of South Sudan. 

Second, regional-level good offices must be strengthened. We welcome IGAD and AU convening meetings and issuing communiques on the situation in South Sudan. We support the leading role of the UN-AU-IGAD trilateral mechanism in actively facilitating peace and dialogue and in prioritizing African solutions to African issues. Regional partners are doing their utmost in mediation. We call on countries with influence over the parties to play a constructive role in jointly promoting deescalation. It is imperative that the international community support these regional-level good offices, allow it the time and space required, and refrain from undue pressure that may exacerbate tensions. 

Third, external assistance needs to be increased. China commends the Government of South Sudan for its coordination with the UN agencies in providing assistance to the over one million refugees and returnees flowing in from Sudan and for taking proactive measures to ensure the safety of Sudanese nationals within its borders. As the rainy season approaches, the risks of widespread flooding, disease outbreaks, and food shortage may further worsen the humanitarian situation on the ground. The international community should increase, rather than decrease, its assistance to jointly support the response to these humanitarian challenges. 

Fourth, it is essential to support UNMISS in its mandate fulfillment. We strongly condemn the attacks against UNMISS personnel. We reiterate that no attacks targeting peacekeepers are acceptable. We urge all parties to ensure the safety and security of UNMISS camps and personnel. The Council will soon discuss the renewal of UNMISS’s mandate this month. As a major troop-contributing country to the Mission, China will constructively participate in the consultations and support the Mission in better fulfilling its mandated responsibilities. 

President, 

Since the signing of the Revitalized Agreement in 2018, South Sudan has been striving to overcome internal and external challenges and steadily advancing the peace process. While the process has been met with challenges, all parties have been committed to implementing the agreement as a shared objective, achieving a great deal of tangible progress. These hard-won achievements deserve to be cherished by all parties. The current state of the Revitalized Agreement is regrettable. China calls on all parties in South Sudan to strengthen unity and mutual trust, cease hostilities, accelerate the implementation of all provisions of the Agreement, and stay on the right track towards political transition. We stand ready to continue providing support for peace and stability in South Sudan alongside the international community. 

The overall security landscape in the Horn of Africa is concerning, with multiple hotspot issues intertwined, generating negative spillover effects that threaten regional peace and stability. We support the Council in closely following the developments on the ground, playing a constructive part, and earnestly fulfilling its vital responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. 

I thank you, President.