President Kiir and First VP Dr. Machar meeting with Troika countries and EU ambassadors in 2021. Photo: File
Juba, December 17, 2022 (SSNA) — The United States of America, Norway, and the United Kingdom also known as Troika countries, and the European Union said they are “deeply concerned” by the ongoing violence in Upper Nile and Jonglei States and call for an end, according to a press statement released by the bloc and seen by the South Sudan News Agency.
“Members of the Troika and EU are deeply concerned by an escalation in violence in Upper Nile and Jonglei, South Sudan, where there have been reports of scores of civilians killed and around 50,000 displaced. These reports of killings, homes and livelihoods burned and destroyed, and sexual and gender-based violence, including against minors, are horrifying and cannot go unaddressed,” the statement reads in part.
The Troika and the EU blame South Sudanese leaders for their incapacity to stop the violence and urge them to allow humanitarian organizations to deliver services to people in Jonglei and Upper Nile States.
“We call on all South Sudanese authorities to allow and facilitate the safe access and delivery of humanitarian assistance to Upper Nile and Jonglei State, as well as in other conflict areas in the country and to the more than 9.4 million people in need of aid across South Sudan,” the group said.
The EU and Troika also call on leaders of South Sudan and armed groups operating in the country to abide by the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.