The South Sudan government has protested against the new US sanctions and the termination of financial support.

Foreign ministry spokesman Mawien Makol told a news conference in Juba on Monday that the move by Washington was unjustifiable and a threat to the diplomatic relations between the two states.

Mr Makol said the sanctions and the financial assistance cuts were undermining the implementation of the recent peace agreement in which the US was a witness.

“Such acts do not serve well the good relations which the people and the government of South Sudan always wish to exist between the two peoples and governments.

The strongest terms

“The government of South Sudan would like to register its concern and protest in the strongest terms against these unjustified unilateral sanctions, and on other USA statements designed to undermine the implementation of the peace agreement in South Sudan,” Mr Makol told the press.

The US last Friday imposed sanctions against two South Sudanese nationals and one Israel ex-military officer for fuelling the war in the young nation. Washington also declared cancellation of any financial assistance to the Juba government, accusing the South Sudan leaders of ignoring accountability and perpetuating impunity against the civilians in the five year civil war.

But Mr Makol said the decision was wrong because it comes in the wake of the recently-signed Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan.

Bilateral relations

“The decision by the US can only be described as unjustifiable. It comes in the wake of the peace deal. The US should have provide support in pursuit of holdout groups to join peace,” Mr Makol said.

He insisted that the young nation was not worried, but ready to engage in dialogue with the super power.

“We are not worried about the sanctions. We still need them (the US).

“The government of South Sudan has endeavoured to promote dialogue with the government of United States of America, and welcomes any proposals on improving bilateral relations, and requests the US administration to engage in a more positive manner with Juba."

Mr Makol said further that Juba would continue to engage the international community to scrap what he termed as “unjust unilateral sanctions" against South Sudan.

Joseph Oduha

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/