EU ready to impose South Sudan arms ban

The European Union (EU) is ready to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan if the parties to the conflict disregard the peace deal, an official said.

German ambassador Jan Hendrrik van Thiel told the press in Juba that the EU would join other concerned states in imposing targeted sanctions and arms ban on South Sudan.

“If there is no peace and accountability, we cannot just implement development programmes in South Sudan. The EU will renew its longstanding arms embargo on South Sudan,” Mr Thiel warned on Wednesday.

The EU imposed an arms embargo on Sudan in 1994 in response to civil war in the then southern part of the country. The war was between the Khartoum-based government and the rebel Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army/ Movement (SPLA/M) led by Dr John Garang.

After the split of Africa's largest state in 2011 into two, EU amended the embargo to exempt the independent South Sudan.

The German diplomat urged the South Sudan leaders to commit themselves to achieving lasting peace in the country.

“It is time the leaders from all sides in South Sudan brought peace and stability to the country,” he said.

Germany is the third largest donor for South Sudan and has invested more than $150 million in 2017 alone, and $37 million in aid this year.

South Sudan has been in war since 2013 after achieving its independence in 2011 from Sudan.

The US recently imposed an arms ban on South Sudan in response to the ongoing war and human rights abuses in the young nation.

However, the South Sudan government said the mounting threats of sanctions would not stop the war and the suffering in the country.

It urged the international community to slow down their campaign to punish the young nation.