Anitia Kiki Gbeho briefs Security Council on Friday
Fighting between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (also known as the Army in Opposition) has intensified, particularly in Jonglei State, and civilians continue to be the most affected.
The UN has reported a 40 percent increase in deaths and injuries in 2025 compared to 2024 and warned that Violence between communities persists in parts of the Equatorias, Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap, driven by cattle rustling, land disputes and retaliatory attacks.
On the day Ms Gbeho briefed the Council, the United Nations Human Rights Commission in South Sudan expressed serious concern about reports that bodies had been discovered in Jonglei during recent road works, warning that The true human cost of renewed violence in the country may be significantly greater than currently known..
UNMISS peacekeepers on patrol. (file photo)
Less money means more compensation
The growing fighting and rights abuses coincide with cuts to the UNMISS budget, which have forced the Mission to back off certain activities. Ms. Gbeho commented that operational capacity has been reduced by 24 to 30 percent.
While peacekeepers were able to protect civilians following violent incidents in Akobo and Abiemnhom, Ms Gbeho noted that their long-term presence is not financially sustainable under current budgetary conditions.
The decline in mine action capacity, he added, has limited the Mission’s ability to eliminate explosive hazards while supporting patrols and site security, resulting in delays in responding to humanitarian requests in high-risk areas like Jonglei.
Peacekeepers have less capacity to interact with local authorities, traditional leaders and communities. This impacts early warning, confidence-building and visibility, which risks eroding trust and increasing the likelihood of misinformation.
The Head of Mission underlined the dilemma facing UNMISS and the Council: “the scale and urgency of the needs on the ground,” she said, “do not yet match the kind of sustained commitment and investment needed to fully realize the shared ambition of a sustainable path to peace.”
“A dangerous crossroads”
The devastating humanitarian crisis in South Sudan was highlighted by Tom Fletcher, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, who told the Council that the world’s youngest nation “stands at a dangerous crossroads.
This year, he said, around two thirds of the population will need humanitarian assistance, However, the $1.46 billion UN Humanitarian Plan is only 22 percent funded.
Fletcher cited recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO), showing that 1.35 million people in Jonglei have lost access to healthcare after 26 facilities were destroyed or forced to close. Cholera is on the rise and measles persists.
On a recent visit to Jonglei, local women told Mr Fletcher that they had fled extreme violence, that their houses had been burned and that people had been “slaughtered like goats”.
The fighting in Upper Nile State, he added, is equally alarming, as fighting, access restrictions and interference with UN humanitarian operations block aid.
Emergency levels of food insecurity are expected in all 10 states of South Sudan during the lean season, which begins this month and lasts until July: More than 7.5 million people will need food assistance this year.r.
Aid delivery under fire
Faced with multiple challenges, peacekeepers and humanitarian workers in South Sudan continue to support the population.
In Jonglei alone, more than 113,000 people have already received food this year, and UN partners have provided more than 14 tons of emergency health supplies and thousands of water, sanitation and hygiene kits.
Despite the limitations, the Mission has been able to cContinuous and credible human rights monitoring and reporting.which has contributed to improving the supervision of detention and the release of arbitrarily detained persons.
UNMISS also continues support access to justice in areas where formal institutions have long been absent, through mobile and special courts, helping to reduce cycles of retaliatory violence and rebuild trust in state authority.