UN envoy urges Security Council to try to prevent renewed civil war in South Sudan
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The top United Nations official in South Sudan urged the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday to use its clout to prevent the world's newest nation from again plunging into civil war.
Nicholas Haysom warned that the escalating rivalry between South Sudan President Salva Kiir and one of the country's vice presidents has degenerated into direct military confrontation between their parties.
Recent fighting in the country's north, the arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar and a campaign of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech are 'fueling political and ethnic tensions — particularly on social media,' he said.
Haysom, the U.N. special envoy and head of the almost 20,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country, warned that 'these conditions are darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 conflicts, which took over 400,000 lives.'
There were high hopes for peace and stability after oil-rich South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011.
But the country slid into civil war in December 2013 when forces loyal to Kiir, who is from the largest ethnic group in the country, called the Dinka, started battling those loyal to Machar, who is from the second-largest ethnic group, called the Nuer.
A 2018 peace deal has been fragile, and implementation has been slow. A presidential election has been postponed until 2026.
Haysom said, however, that the 2018 agreement 'remains the only viable framework to break this cycle of violence in South Sudan.'
'The overriding imperative now is to urgently avert a relapse into full-scale conflict, refocus efforts on accelerating the implementation of the agreement, and advance the transition towards South Sudan's first democratic elections,' he said. 'Another war is a risk South Sudan simply cannot afford, nor can the wider region.'
Haysom said the peacekeeping force is engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts with the African Union, the regional group Intergovernmental Authority on Development, or IGAD, the Vatican and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to broker a peaceful solution.
He called on the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful body, to urge the rival parties to adhere to the ceasefire, exercise restraint and address differences through public dialogue.
Edem Wosornu, the U.N. humanitarian office's operations director, reminded the council of her August warning of a 'perfect storm' of humanitarian, economic, political, security and environmental crises unfolding simultaneously.
Eight months later, she said, 'the situation has deteriorated dramatically.'
Wosornu said 9.3 million South Sudanese, three-quarters of the population, need humanitarian assistance, half of them children.
'Almost 7.7 million people are acutely hungry — up from 7.1 million in the same period in 2024,' she said.
Wosornu said the U.N. humanitarian office projects that 650,000 children under 5 are at risk of severe acute malnutrition this year.
'If the political crisis is not averted,' she warned, 'the humanitarian nightmare will become a reality very quickly.'
___
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
19 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
White House breaks ground on Trump projects to pave over Rose Garden grass, add flagpoles to lawns
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House broke ground Monday on construction projects ordered by President Donald Trump to pave over the grass in the Rose Garden and install flagpoles on the north and south lawns. The projects are part of a series of personal touches that Trump, a real estate developer turned politician, has added or is adding to the Executive Mansion and its grounds since he opened his second term in January. The projects also include new artwork of himself on walls and gold-toned flourishes in the Oval Office. He also wants to add a ballroom. Reporters on Monday noticed that work had begun in the Rose Garden, just off the Oval Office on the south grounds, when they were taken out to the South Lawn to wait for Trump to return on the Marine One helicopter from an overnight at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland. Photos showed that a limestone border that first lady Melania Trump had added during a Rose Garden renovation project in her husband's first term had been removed in some places and the grass had been dug up in others spots. Employees of the National Park Service, which maintains the White House grounds, started the work on Monday, according to a White House official. The project is set to be completed in about two months, or the first half of August, said the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly on intended changes to the Executive Mansion and spoke on the condition of anonymity. After stepping off the helicopter, Trump walked over to a bulldozer that was on the South Lawn to start digging a foundation for one of two flagpoles he promised in April. One flagpole will be added to the South Lawn, and the second will be installed on the North Lawn, he said. Trump said he was installing two 'beautiful' flagpoles 'paid for by Trump' on the grounds because 'they've needed flagpoles for 200 years.' The American and POW/MIA flags fly on the roof of the White House every day. The Republican president said months ago that he would pave over the Rose Garden because the grass there is always wet and an inconvenience for women in high heels. It was unclear if he planned to pay for this project. Last week, Trump posted on his social media site about the ballroom he promised, 'compliments of a man known as Donald J. Trump.' He wrote on Friday that he had inspected the site for the ballroom, saying it will be a 'wonderful addition' and is an example of the ''fun' projects I do while thinking about the World Economy, the United States, China, Russia, and lots of other Countries, places, and events.' ___ Follow the AP's coverage of President Donald Trump at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Police tear gas activists protesting the death in police custody of a Kenyan blogger
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan police tear gassed activists twice as they marched to the main police station in the capital Nairobi during a protest Monday against the death of a blogger in police custody under unclear circumstances. Albert Ojwang was found dead while in custody at the Central Police Station and police attributed his death to 'hitting his head against the cell wall," but activists have questioned the cause of death. Ojwang was arrested Friday in Homa Bay in western Kenya and driven 400 kilometers (248 miles) to Nairobi for what police said was publishing 'false information' about a top police official on social media. This blogger's death comes almost a year after several activists and protesters were killed and abducted by Kenyan police during finance bill protests in 2024. Economic frustration remains high, despite the proposed taxes being scrapped last year. 'Our demands are still not met. The joblessness they had last year is tenfold. The killings are still happening," said Ndungi Githuku, activist from the People's Liberation Party. "So, nothing was resolved out of the protests that we had. We have freedom that is half baked. This country belongs to the rich, so it is time for the poor to rise. This is what is going to happen (on the anniversary) in a few days.' The Kenyan police said the Independent Policing Oversight Authority has launched an investigation. Officers who were on duty when Ojwang died in custody will also not be returning to work while they await the outcome of investigations, said police Inspector-General Douglas Kanja. However, many are skeptical of the proceedings. 'Until now they (Kenya Police) have not told us the truth. We know there were more injuries. They have decided to sacrifice junior officers. We want justice for Ojwang and many others who have lost their lives,' said Hussein Khalid from the Vocal Africa human rights organization. Rights group Amnesty Kenya said in a statement that Ojwang's arrest raises serious questions and that the results of the IPOA report must be made public and any officers found responsible must be held fully accountable. 'We are in an era whereby speaking against the government is a crime, complaining against poor leadership and mismanagement of public affairs is a crime. I pity (Ojwang's) 5-month-old baby and wife. I am protesting extrajudicial killings — one of us is all of us,' said activist Ouma Paul Oyao. Ojwang's death continued to spark outrage online and has renewed calls for protests to demand accountability from the government. 'This government is actually urging us to come out in the street again. They are saying they have not repented; they are saying that they will continue abducting and assassinating us. So, what we are saying (is) that it's better to shout and die than to keep quiet and be gotten from our homes while we are quiet,' said Githuku of the People's Liberation Party.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Can $1,000 at birth change a child's future? A Republican proposal aims to find out
WASHINGTON (AP) — When children of wealthy families reach adulthood, they often benefit from the largesse of parents in the form of a trust fund. It's another way they get a leg up on less affluent peers, who may receive nothing at all — or even be expected to support their families. But what if all children — regardless of their family's circumstances — could get a financial boost when they turn 18? That's the idea behind a House GOP proposal backed by President Donald Trump. It would create accounts for all babies born in the U.S. over the next four years with $1,000 that would accrue interest until the children reach adulthood. At age 18, they could withdraw the money to put toward a down payment for a home, education or to start a small business. If the money is used for other purposes, it'll be taxed at a higher rate. It builds on the concept of ' baby bonds,' which two states — California and Connecticut — and the District of Columbia have introduced as a way to reduce gaps between wealthy people and poor people. Rep. Blake Moore, a Republican from Utah, spearheaded the effort to get the initiative into a massive House spending bill. In an op-ed for the Washington Examiner, he said wealth inequality has soured many people on capitalism. 'Trump Accounts,' as the proposal calls them, could be the antidote, he said. 'We know that America's economic engine is working, but not everyone feels connected to its value and the ways it can benefit them," Moore wrote. 'If we can demonstrate to our next generation the benefits of investing and financial health, we can put them on a path toward prosperity.' The bill calls for the money to be handled by investment firms. The bill would require at least one parent to produce a Social Security number with work authorizations, meaning the U.S. citizen children born to some categories of immigrants would be excluded from the benefit. But unlike other baby bond programs, which generally target disadvantaged groups, this one would be available to families of all incomes. 'When little baby is born they're gonna start off with a thousand dollars and if we do a good job of investing their money — we're going to go with one of the investing guidelines, who the hell knows if they're any good — but they have a chance to be very rich,' Trump said at a rally last week in Pittsburgh. 'It's going to be very cute to see.' Economist Darrick Hamilton of The New School, who first pitched the idea of baby bonds a quarter-century ago, said the GOP proposal would exacerbate rather than reduce wealth gaps. He envisioned a program that would be universal but would give children from poor families a larger endowment than their wealthier peers, in an attempt to level the playing field. The money would be handled by the government, not by private firms on Wall Street. 'It is upside down,' Hamilton said. 'It's going to enhance inequality.' Hamilton added that $1,000 — even with interest — would not be enough to make a significant difference for a child living in poverty. A Silicon Valley investor who created the blueprint for the proposal, Brad Gerstner, said in an interview with CNBC last year that the accounts could help address the wealth gap and the loss of faith in capitalism that represent an existential crisis for the U.S. 'The rise and fall of nations occurs when you have a wealth gap that grows, when you have people who lose faith in the system,' Gerstner said. 'We're not agentless. We can do something.' The proposal comes as Congressional Republicans and Trump face backlash for proposed cuts to programs that poor families with children rely on, including food assistance and Medicaid. Even some who back the idea of baby bonds are skeptical, noting Trump wants to cut higher education grants and programs that aid young people on the cusp of adulthood — the same age group Trump Accounts are supposed to help. Pending federal legislation would slash Medicaid and food and housing assistance that many families with children rely on. Young adults who grew up in poverty often struggle with covering basics like rent and transportation — expenses that Trump Accounts could not be tapped to cover, said Eve Valdez, an advocate for youth in foster care in southern California. Accounts for newborn children that cannot be accessed for 18 years mean little to families struggling to meet basic needs today, said Shimica Gaskins of End Child Poverty California. 'Having children have health care, having their families have access to SNAP and food are what we really need ... the country focused on,' Gaskins said. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
