US extends national emergency in South Sudan

US President Joe Biden [Photo: White House]

The United States of America has announced the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to South Sudan for another year.

US President Joe Biden said in a statement seen by Radio Tamazuj said that the national emergency declared on April 3, 2014, must continue in effect beyond April 3, 2022. 

"The situation in and in relation to South Sudan continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared on April 3, 2014, must continue in effect beyond April 3, 2022," the statement read. "Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13664."

The statement added that the 2014 order was instituted 'to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the situation in and in relation to South Sudan marked by activities that threaten the peace, security, or stability of South Sudan and the surrounding region, including widespread violence and atrocities, human rights abuses, recruitment and use of child soldiers, attacks on peacekeepers, and obstruction of humanitarian operations.'

Recently, the main parties to the 2018 peace agreement clashed heightening tensions between factions loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar.