The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the situation in South Sudan.

The resolution was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA, and ECR groups.

It strongly condemned the latest outburst of fighting in South Sudan which was having serious humanitarian and social consequences in a country that was already fragile and volatile, and could destabilise the whole East African region. Thousands have been killed and more than hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the current crisis. Members were especially worried about the ethnic dimension of the conflict, which should find a democratic political solution and pave the way for democratically agreed institutions. 

Members recalled that political conflict started after Salva Kiir, the country’s president and a member of the Dinka ethnic group, accused his sacked vice-president, Riek Machar, an ethnic Nuer, of plotting a coup d’état against him, which the latter has denied.

Parliament condemned the reported human rights violations and abuses, taking the view that President Kiir and Riek Machar should do all they can to stop soldiers under their control from committing such abuses against the people.

Despite the ongoing peace talks initiated on 7 January 2014 in Addis Ababa, Parliament stated that instability, fighting and the mobilisation of armed forces had continued. Noting that the South Sudanese Government had arrested 11 senior politicians, including the former finance minister and the former Secretary-General of the SPLM party, Members called for the release of all political prisoners and these 11, whose detention had become a sticking point in the peace negotiations.

Parliament regretted the decision taken by the EU High Representative to terminate the mandate of the EU’s Special Representative for Sudan/South Sudan, given the severe political unrest in Sudan and the armed conflicts. Without a designated EU Special Representative for Sudan/South Sudan, the EU would be left on the sidelines of international negotiations and efforts, and Parliament called on the High Representative to reverse this decision and extend the mandate of the Special Representative. 1

Noting that EU humanitarian assistance totalled EUR 170 million to date in the financial years 2013 and 2014, Parliament called on the international community to honour its funding commitments to South Sudan and the region and to mobilise resources in order to respond immediately to the worsening humanitarian situation in South Sudan.

Parliament stressed the following:

• the government and the rebel sides must engage in unconditional, inclusive and holistic political talks in good faith for the successful conclusion of the negotiations;
• all parties were urged to grant access to and open humanitarian corridors for the delivery of supplies and equipment;
• all neighbours of South Sudan and regional powers must work closely together in order to improve the security situation.