UN under secretary-general for peace operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Tuesday told the Security Council that the Government of South Sudan has put forth conditions that are not only impractical but pose a serious threat to the viability of the contingency plan of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and potentially to the Mission itself.
He revealed that during his recent visit to Juba, he informed President Salva Kiir that UNMISS will scale down operations due to financial constraints.
“I stressed that, despite the impact of the planned downsizing and office and base closures, UNMISS remains fully committed to prioritizing protection, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and fulfilling its mandated tasks, ensuring that the gains achieved since the deployment of the Mission are not undermined, while continuing to support the Government in fulfilling its responsibility to protect its citizens,” he said.
Radio Tamazuj reported on 30 October that a note verbale from South Sudan’s foreign ministry dated 28th October 2025 demanded that the UNMISS reduce its international military contingents by 70%, ground all aircraft with intelligence-gathering capabilities, and close several military bases and civilian protection sites.
On Tuesday, Lacroix told the Council that UNMISS continues to be a critical actor in South Sudan, protecting civilians and supporting all efforts to maintain peace and stability in the country, again to the extent possible, in a region massively affected by conflict.
He said that in this context, the contingency plan, applied across all UN peacekeeping operations to address liquidity challenges, is now being implemented in UNMISS. This plan, he highlighted, entails the closure of certain field offices and bases, the repatriation of uniformed personnel, which has already begun, and reductions of national and international staff.”
“While I received assurances from President Kiir and several ministers that the host government recognizes the difficult circumstances facing UNMISS and would support the Mission in implementing its plan, only days later the Mission received a formal document from the Government outlining a series of conditions that are not only impractical but pose a serious threat to the viability of the contingency plan, and potentially to the Mission itself,” he disclosed. “Unless there is a greater understanding and flexibility from the Government, the Mission’s ability to fulfill its mandate will be severely compromised, and frankly, the future of that Mission is totally at stake.”
“We remain committed to working closely with the Government to ensure the swift implementation of this exercise, which is primarily intended to allow us to continue executing our mandate for the benefit of peace, stability, for the people of South Sudan,” Lacroix added.
He called for the government’s support, which he said remains key for progress ahead.
“However, let me reiterate, the Status of Forces Agreement must be respected, and the safety of UN personnel and assets must be guaranteed. We also count on the continued support of the Council in this regard,” Lacroix stressed. “To conclude, implementation of the Revitalized Agreement remains South Sudan’s only path to stability and lasting peace. But time is running dangerously short, and there is an urgent need to bring the peace process back on track. We hope this Council will send a clear message in this regard.”
“The parties must take a citizen-centric approach, reinvigorate their commitment to political inclusion, and cease unilateral actions. Furthermore, we, as regional actors and the international community, must remain united and engaged,” he concluded.