SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT, President of South Sudan, said that his country is committed to global efforts aimed at addressing challenges that “we face as a human family”.  “We are hopeful that together we can rebuild trust among Member States [and] reignite global solidarity on the basis of sovereign equality of all the States,” he added.  South Sudan is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals to provide a better future for its people.  South Sudan has made some progress in its education sector since its independence in 2011.  For one, the country’s Constitution guarantees all children free access to education.  “We have also designated education as a human right of every child,” he said. Furthermore, South Sudan is committed to paying teachers a living wage.

Turning to the health sector, he said South Sudan plans to dedicate resources towards providing affordable health care in an inclusive and cost-effective manner.  Moreover, it is committed to promoting renewable energy and collaborating with international partners to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment.  Developed countries must cut their emissions and honour their pledges to developing countries.

On a national level, Juba “has turned the corner” with the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement in 2018.  “Now we are determined to build on the commitments,” he continued, emphasizing the need to consolidate peace and stabilize the economy. The country is now focused on concluding the transitional period peacefully through fair, transparent and credible elections in 2024.

South Sudan will continue to engage with civil society, women, young people and traditional leaders to ensure that “our peace process is owned and driven by our own people”, he went on to say.  As his country moves in this direction, it calls on the United Nations to lift the arms embargo imposed on it.  The embargo has impeded implementation of security arrangements, he stressed.  Moreover, as a country sharing a border with Sudan, South Sudan has received thousands of Sudanese refugees since the conflict broke out in April 2023. This influx has overwhelmed border communities and created a humanitarian crisis.  “I’m appealing to the international community to avail resources to help refugees and displaced persons who cross into South Sudan,” he emphasized.