South Sudan, 2025

The Assembly will hear an address by Her Excellency Josephine Joseph Rago, Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan. I request protocol to score Her Excellency and invite her to address the Assembly. Thank you. Madam President, Excellencies, Heads of States and Government, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you warm greetings and best wishes from my President, His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Republic of South Sudan. I also bring you greetings from the Government and the people of South Sudan, a message of peace, unity, development and unwavering commitment to global partnership. I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to you, Madam President, on your election to preside over the 80th session of this esteemed Assembly. I also express appreciation to the General Secretary, Antonio Guterres, for his steadfast commitment to advancing the principles and objectives of the United Nations. The theme of this year's session, Better Together, 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights, resonates with the objectives and aspirations of our country. South Sudan is the youngest country in the world and the 193rd member of the United Nations. After 50 years of brutal armed liberation struggle, it gained independence in 2011. Fortunately, two years later, the country descended into an internal civil war. With the support of regional and international community, a peace agreement was signed between the warring parties in 2018, known as the Revitalize Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan. This led to the formation of the current Revitalize Transitional Government of National Unity, a coalition government comprising the warring parties, other peace partners and stakeholders. The peace agreement has provisions on governance structure, security sector reforms, transitional justice mechanism, economic sector reforms and truth and reconciliation commission. The agreement also stipulates 35% affirmative action on women representation at national, state as well as local government levels. The presidency consists of a president and five vice presidents, two of whom are female, thus achieving 40% of female representation at the highest level of government. In the first phase, the unified forces have been trained, some of the forces have been deployed and the rest are awaiting deployment. The second phase of the security sector reforms is due to start imminently this October 2025. This will complete the second phase of the second protocol of the agreement. Other protocols including public finance management reforms are ongoing, transitional justice mechanism are in progress and the truth and reconciliation commission will be established under the auspices of the African Union. Although the implementation of the peace agreement has been slower than we would have wanted due to financial constraints, some of the members of the international community have been contributing in kind. On the whole, the implementation of the peace agreement is about 60% executed. The agreement has held for seven years and a relative peace has been attained, thus giving hope to our people. Many South Sudanese have returned from the neighboring countries and the diaspora and are rebuilding their lives and contributing to national development. Work is ongoing including preparations for general elections in December 2026. Until recently, the permanent cessation of hostilities was observed and relative peace attained throughout the country. Climate change and environmental sustainability. South Sudan is one of the countries adversely affected by the impact of climate change despite contributing minimally to global emissions. For the last five years, our country has suffered recurrent floods on the one hand and prolonged droughts on the other, thus contributing to crop failures, biodiversity loss and mass displacement. These challenges intensify food insecurity, undermine livelihood support and threaten social stability. In this regard, the government of the Republic of South Sudan calls on equitable and predictable climate financing to strengthen adaptation and resilience. The Paris Agreement and subsequent COP summits made commitments which must be honored. South Sudan requires support in technology transfer, capacity building and foreign direct investment in national frameworks such as the South Sudan Development Plan, Nationally Determined Contribution and National Adaptation Plan. This support is essential to address the intertwined challenges of development and environmental stability. The global community cannot afford to ignore climate injustice. Collective action is imperative for these challenges which transcend national borders to be addressed effectively. South Sudan has embarked on planting of 100 million trees by 2030, expanding renewable energy generation and strengthening water infrastructure with women, youth and people with disabilities at the center of these efforts. Our commitments to sustainable development goals. At Independence, South Sudan inherited rudimentary state structures and hardly any infrastructures such as roads, electricity. We inherited poor health care, inadequate educational infrastructure, abject poverty and food insecurity. The SDGs are aligned to our national priorities. For example, each vice president is in charge of a cluster which includes governance cluster, economic cluster, service delivery cluster, infrastructure cluster and gender, youth and humanitarian cluster. Madam President, the 2030 agenda remains a vital framework for peace and prosperity. South Sudan has made some remarkable progress in agricultural transformation including commercialization and value addition which will create jobs for women and youth including in crop production, livestock and fisheries. This will enable people to produce their own food rather than relying on imported foods. Our policy is let us produce what we eat and as a consequence some states in our country now are self-sufficient in food production which contributes imminently to reduction of poverty thus the attainment of SDG 1 and SDG 2. In collaboration with our development partners, government is providing health care, building health care infrastructure, improving maternal and child care, raising awareness about communicable diseases and providing vaccinations for diseases such as cholera, mpox and malaria. Access to clean water and sanitation is being improved. As part of the health sector transformation program, we aim to attain universal health care for all in South Sudan. The recent pandemic outbreaks around the world revealed the agencies of strengthening health systems and equitable vaccine access. South Sudan advocates for global health framework that prioritizes preparedness for pandemics and embraces health as a universal human right. In his latest statement to parliament in June 2025, His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit identified education as a key priority area for the government. There is improved enrollment in primary schools and secondary schools and many young people are aspiring now to go to universities and colleges. Enrollment has risen from 300,000 to 2.1 million children with gender parity in primary schools nearly achieved. This is a remarkable national achievement. There is focus on teacher education to improve the overall quality of education. Despite these efforts and achievements, 2.8 million of our children are still out of school. South Sudan has expanded programs to promote girls enrollment and retention in schools while investing in technical and vocational skills training for women and youth. Our government would like to take this opportunity to appreciate all those countries that have offered scholarships for our young people to study in their countries. And those supporting girls education in particular and vocational training to provide employable skills for our young people. But more clearly needs to be done. South Sudan is a young population. Over 60% of the population is under the age of 30 years. In any society, the youth are the future of the country and the future of the society. Our youth are a source of great pride. South Sudan's recent participation in the Olympics games in Paris last year was a unifying moment for the people of South Sudan and Africa at large. South Sudan athletes showcase talent, discipline and resilience embodying the spirit of a nation determined to rise. Sports have become a powerful force for unity, inspiring hope and bringing communities together across our young nation. The South Sudan basketball team emerged as the best team in the continent of Africa during the last Olympic games and nearly beat the defending champion in the world. Since independence and in line with the transitional constitution 2011 as amended, we have taken steps to integrate gender equality into our governance and development agenda. Notably, South Sudan has enshrined 30% of women participation in public life at all levels of government. In addition to the two female vice presidents, our cabinet, the national cabinet and state cabinets comprises of 30% of female representation. And our speaker, the speaker of the National Transitional Assembly is also a female. We have adopted national gender policies to advance women's rights and are working to harmonize our laws with international commitments. Efforts have been made to address gender-based violence through new legislation and establishment of a special court. We have mainstreamed gender into the national adaptation plan and nationally determined contributions for climate change. We are committed to advancing women's economic empowerment by improving access to land rights and credit facilities while creating opportunities for women entrepreneurs. To achieve the SDGs, we must shift from commitments to action, emphasizing multilateral cooperation, fair trade, debt relief and tailored support for fragile and conflict-affected states. South Sudan has been advocating for debt cancellation and the support of the international community to complement these efforts will be appreciated. Financing for development, transforming aspiration into results require adequate financing. We urge developed nations to scale up contributions to the International Development Association, which plays a central role in protecting vulnerable populations, reducing poverty and financing sustainable development in fragile states. South Sudan supports reforms of international financial institutions to enhance the representation of developing nations, ensuring that financing mechanisms align with objectives of development priorities. Together, we can build a more inclusive and just global financial system. Internal peace and security. We acknowledge the delays in implementation of the revitalized peace agreement. However, the government has renewed its political will and is accelerating key benchmarks, including the deployment of the unified forces, electoral legislation and launching of national civic education campaigns. His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit announced on several occasions that he will not take this country back to war. And this became a theme of our engagement to restore peace and stability in the country. We reaffirm our commitment to world peace and security. In South Sudan, peace and stability remain our highest priority. Since the 2018 revitalized peace agreement, government has been working to consolidate peace through implementation of the peace agreement, transformation of the governance system and security sector reforms. Additionally, government is also engaged in promoting peace building at subnational and community levels, using the principles of people-to-people peace initiatives. The civil society, women's group, youth group and faith groups are all actively involved in peace building activities, supported by UNIMIS, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, among others. The security sector reform is progressing well. In phase one, the first batch of unified forces are already trained, as mentioned earlier. The second phase is ongoing. At the same level, the governments at state levels are disarming civilians to bolster security. The aim is to have one national army under one commander-in-chief, contrary to the current state of affairs where the country has several commanders-in-chief, which in itself is a source of insecurity. In general, there has been relative peace and security throughout the country, with the exception of the recent attack by the white army militia associated with the first vice president, Dr. Riek Machar, on South Sudan People's Defense Forces in Nasser, which led to his detention and the detention of the co-accused. This matter is now being handled legally and it will take due process, with assurance of a fair trial in a competent court. The government is committed to following due process to achieve justice in this matter. It should be noted that the arrest of the first vice president, Dr. Riek Machar, and his co-accused, was not politically motivated, but had endangered the peace process and constitutional order in the country. Notwithstanding the legal proceedings, Dr. Riek Machar and others have been formally charged and presented to court. Their legal rights have been respected, including granting access to their legal team to appear on their behalf in court. South Sudan remains open to meaningful dialogue with other holdout groups. In this regard, the government is considering resumption of the Tumaini Peace Initiative and welcomes facilitation from regional and other partners. We urge regional and international communities to urge the holdout groups to renounce armed violence and engage in political dialogue. Furthermore, we appeal to the international community to continue supporting South Sudan's efforts and democratic process through provision of technical assistance, capacity building, and development support. It is worth mentioning that consolidating peace in South Sudan is not only vital for our people, but also for stability across the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes, and beyond. Since our last statement to this General Assembly, South Sudan has embarked upon a transformative journey. We have launched the South Sudan Development Plan 2026-2036, a forward-looking 10-year blueprint to diversify our economy, fortify our institutions, and reduce reliance on oil. This plan is anchored in the principles of transparency, inclusivity, and resilience. It guides comprehensive reforms in public financial management and service delivery. We have initiated independent audits, strengthened procurement oversights, and recommitted ourselves to the fiscal reforms outlined in the 2018 Revitalize Peace Agreement. We are determined to foster a culture of integrity, accountability, and good governance. Determined to shift from oil dependency to a green sustainable economy, South Sudan is investing in the future of its land and people. The Agriculture SME Grant Initiative 2025 now empowers farmers, agro-processors, with vital tools, training, and market access. Our investment in irrigation, seed distribution, and post-harvest technologies are boosting productivity and strengthening food security. We have successfully established effective governance structures, both at the national and local level, including establishment of relevant commissions such as the Constitutional Review Commission, the Judicial Review Commission, among others. The constitutional making process is in progress. Civic education and voter rights training have commenced and are progressing well. The National Bureau of Statistics will advise on options available for elections. The Political Parties Council has been established and has started registering political parties intended to contest in elections. Therefore, with these positive developments, the government of the Republic of South Sudan appeals for the removal of targeted individual sanctions and the arms embargo on South Sudan. Elections According to the peace agreement, the transitional period must end with the conduct of general elections currently scheduled for December 2026. This will enable the people of South Sudan to democratically elect their leaders for the first time in the history of this young nation. His Excellency President Salva Kiir has reaffirmed the government's determination to deliver credible, inclusive, and peaceful elections. The establishment of electoral institutions, namely the National Election Commission, the Political Parties Council for registration of political parties, and voters' rights education have been established. The Bureau of Statistics has been restructured to deal with the issues of census. The Restructured Permanent Constitution Review Commission has been actively working to ensure that the country has a new permanent constitution by the time of the general election in December 2026. Civil society groups are being facilitated and have started civic education of the general public, especially among women and the youth. South Sudan is committed to promoting and protecting human rights. We are strengthening national institutions, promoting accountability, empowering women and youth. We have taken steps to integrate gender equality into our governance and development agenda, not forgetting the people with disability. Civil society is actively engaged in the promotion of human rights and civic education. We believe constructive engagement and dialogue are the best path for building resilient and just institutions. Some regional concerns. Madam President, South Sudan and Sudan share deep historical and economic ties, as well as the longest border in the region. For instance, South Sudan's oil is at the moment being transported through Sudan. Development in Sudan directly affects development in South Sudan. Since the outbreak of conflict in Sudan in 2023, South Sudan has opened its doors for Sudanese refugees and returnees from Sudan. In partnership with the international aid agencies, we are providing humanitarian assistance. And we have also gone further and given plots of land for refugees to cultivate and produce their own food, thus integrating them into our local communities. However, there are still outstanding issues with respect to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement 2005. Among these are issues of border demarcation and final status of Abyei, including the status of the Ngok Dinka of Abyei, which remains unresolved. We are committed to working with the government of Sudan to amicably resolve these outstanding issues. Furthermore, the current composition of the Security Council no longer, in our view, adequately reflects the realities of today. And for this reason, South Sudan supports the call for the expansion of the permanent membership to include African representation. Furthermore, we advocate for the removal of sanctions and arms embargo on South Sudan and other sisterly countries. Madam President, at Independence, South Sudan inherited rudimentary state structures, hardly any infrastructures. The government is now working simultaneously on national building, state building, provision of services including health care, education, capacity building, poverty reduction, and food security. South Sudan is seeking to transition from humanitarian aid to development aid. What we are asking for is for the international community to continue supporting South Sudan, a country with immense potential, abundant natural resources, and a young population. We are actively empowering women and young people for the country to become a useful and productive member of the international community. And we are already seeing signs of progress. To conclude, Madam President, Excellency, and distinguished guests, the United Nations was founded on the belief that humanity is stronger together. The theme of this 80th session, Better Together, is a reminder of our shared responsibility for survival and progress. Notwithstanding the challenges, South Sudan, with the resilience of its people, under the leadership of His Excellency, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, remains committed to a multilateral solidarity and partnership with an aim of building a fairer, safer, and more prosperous world for all for us in South Sudan. It is a more prosperous world for all. And for us in South Sudan, we all know that it is better together. It is better together for us nationally. It is better together for us globally. This might mean closing to reaffirm our unwavering faith in the principles of the United Nations and the possibility of a better world, built upon solidarity and shared purpose. May God bless the people of South Sudan. May God bless the nations of the world. I thank you for listening. Thank you. On behalf of the General Assembly, I wish to thank the Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan.