This article was last updated on May 26, 2022
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He expressed his frustration on Tuesday after visiting the IDPs at Tomping protection of civilians (PoC) site in Juba.
The UN chief said three years ago when he visited South Sudan at its independence declaration, there was full joy, excitement and hope for better future as there was full international community support.
“Today, I am standing here with a sad and heavy heart. It is a source of various frustrations,” K-moon said.
Nevertheless, K-moon said the United Nations will continue to support IDPs until peace is achieved and people are safe enough to return home.
“I visited displaced persons who are now being accommodated in the UNMISS compound. The United Nations will continue to help them so that they will be able to return to their homes as soon as possible.”
The Secretary General however knew unless President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Dr Riek Machar all commit to peace and end violence, the suffering of innocent civilians will continue.
“For that (to be) possible, there should be peace and security. I am very encouraged by President Salva Kiir’s strong commitment and willingness to address this issue as soon as possible and I am very much encouraged that he is expressing his willingness to sit down with former Vice President Riek Machar,” K-moon told the press in juba after meeting the president.
He added: “I think this is actually necessary at this time. Since this crisis begun from political issues, it is only natural and necessary that President Salva Kiir and Dr. Machar sit down together to address this issue through dialogue in a peaceful way. That is what I am strongly supporting and I hope that the President will be able to meet (Machar) as soon as possible.”
The president said he has accepted to meet his former deputy now turned rebel leader Dr Machar if he is willing to meet and sit down with him in Ethiopia for the sake of peace and avoiding future famine in the new war-torn nation.
“The priority now is to bring peace so that our people return to their homes,” Kiir said as he pledged to remove all obstacles in the way of restoring peace.
“Our delegation at the peace talks has been given full mandate to negotiate in good faith so that they come with peace. This is because we feel there would be serious disaster if we do not allow our people to cultivate now,” the president said.
“I have assured His Excellency Ki moon that I am ready now to travel to Addis Ababa, to go and meet with Riek Machar, if he will accept to meet me.”
While in Juba, K-moon talked on phone to Dr. Machar and said the former vice president has accepted to meet president Kiir in Addis Ababa on Friday.
Since the crisis broke out late last year, thousands of people have been killed, over a million people displaced and UNMISS PoCs across the country have become homes to thousands of citizens who feel threatened to live in their own homes.
Ki-moon’s visit on Tuesday just days after that of US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to push the two warring parties and their leaders to immediately settle their differences so that the much needed peace can prevail again after more than four months of bloodshed.
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