UN peacekeepers in South Sudan. UN warns of risk of collapse of South Sudan peace process Peace and Security
The peace process in South Sudan is on the brink of collapse, and the humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating. Senior UN officials made the announcement at a Security Council meeting on Tuesday, emphasizing that women and girls are bearing the brunt of the crisis.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, returning from a trip to South Sudan, reported an increase in ceasefire violations, including aerial bombings and armed clashes between signatories to the peace agreement. According to him, the unilateral removal of opposition representatives from the transitional government violates the principle of inclusiveness embedded in the peace agreement and threatens stability ahead of elections scheduled for December 2026.“Trust between key participants in the process is rapidly eroding. The space for compromise is disappearing,” Lacroix said, adding that constitutional reform and transitional security measures are making little progress.
Amid political upheaval, the country faces a humanitarian catastrophe. More than 7.5 million people suffer from acute hunger, 28 thousand are on the verge of starvation. Floods have displaced more than a million people, and the influx of 1.2 million refugees from war-torn neighboring Sudan is straining already weak government structures. and other threats.”
According to the UN, 260 cases of conflict-related sexual violence, including rape, sexual slavery and forced marriage, were documented in 2024 alone. The situation is particularly alarming in border areas, where resource shortages and ethnic tensions are fueling violence.
Funding Crisis
Bacchus recounted a case in Warap State where a group of armed youths surrounded a girls’ school, threatening to kidnap 100 students. Thanks to the intervention of UN peacekeepers, a tragedy was avoided. “For these girls, the peacekeepers became their salvation. It is difficult for them to imagine that their protection could be jeopardized by dwindling resources,” she said.
Both U.N. officials expressed concern about the financial crisis facing the U.N. mission in South Sudan, with field office closures and staff reductions already underway. Lacroix warned that without flexibility from the South Sudanese government, the mission may be unable to fulfill its mandate.
Bacchus called for the 35 percent quota for women’s participation in government to be enforced. “There is no more proven path to sustainable peace than women’s leadership,” she stressed.
The UN calls on all parties to the conflict to end violence, ensure access for humanitarian aid and resume political dialogue. “The women of South Sudan have shown incredible resilience and leadership. They deserve better. We have to give it to them,” concluded Bacchus.