Statement by Lidija Dravec, First Counsellor of the Republic of Slovenia to the United Nations, at the UNSC meeting on the Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan 

Thank you Mr. President,

I also thank today’s briefers for their briefings.

Slovenia reiterates its firm support for UNMISS and pays tribute to the men and women of the Mission who continue to serve under difficult and too often dangerous conditions. We strongly condemn all attacks against UNMISS personnel and its assets.

As Slovenia slowly reflects on its time in this Council we look at South Sudan with both deep concern and enduring conviction: concern for the direction the country is taking, and conviction that the promise of durable peace is achievable.

I wish to make three points.

First – South Sudan’s peace must not become another broken promise. The Revitalized Peace Agreement remains the best chance for a stable and inclusive future. We are therefore deeply worried about its steady erosion.

The agreed power-sharing arrangements, meant to be the heart of governance, are replaced by conflict and armed confrontations, unilateral political actions and political reshuffles that undermine both trust and compromise. Leadership demands courage to bridge divides. Slovenia therefore calls on all parties to cease hostilities, uphold the permanent ceasefire, return to dialogue and place the future of the country above factional interests.

We note the announced and subsequent beginnings of trials of opposition figures, including the First Vice-President. We reiterate – the rule of law must remain the anchor of peace as justice can only serve peace when it is impartial and transparent. We therefore call for adherence to international standards of fairness, due process, and transparency in all judicial proceedings.

Second – the people of South Sudan deserve more than just survival. In South Sudan, the intersection of climate and conflict is no longer only a warning. Conflict, flooding, intercommunal violence, and the war in Sudan have converged into one of the most complex humanitarian crises.

The latest IPC report points to a sharp decline in food security, with hunger tightening its grip, as aid barely reaches civilians at risk of famine. We must not wait for another famine declaration to confirm what is already clear – tens of thousands are living on the edge of catastrophe.  

All this unfolds as the humanitarian system is stretched to its breaking point. Access is shrinking, insecurity is rising, and resources are increasingly strained. Slovenia strongly condemns all attacks and abductions, targeting humanitarian personnel and looting of their supplies, and calls for safe, unconditional, and unhindered access to all those in need as well as for safety of all humanitarian workers.

Third – the path to peace must be owned by the people of South Sudan. The voices of women, youth, and civil society are essential to rebuilding a nation that has known too much conflict and too little trust.

We note that women remain underrepresented in governance, despite clear commitments under the Revitalized Agreement. We call for their full, equal, meaningful and safe participation, including in constitutional, electoral, transitional justice processes and peace building.

Slovenia also underlines the need for meaningful participation and leadership of young people as active partners in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and governance. The youth of South Sudan deserve to inherit a state that values their voices and gives them opportunities to build a peaceful future.

Mr. President,

In this Council, Slovenia has often spoken for those without a voice, for civilians under fire, for humanitarians under threat, for peacekeepers under attack. We do so, including in South Sudan, out of conviction that protecting life is not an act of charity, but a duty of law and conscience.

We have heard many times that South Sudan remains at a crossroads – ultimately between the choice of politics as a contest of power, or politics as a service to peace. Slovenia stands and will continue to stand with the people of South Sudan, on their path toward durable peace and stability.

I thank you.

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