South Sudan made an appeal to the European Union on Thursday to help lift the arms embargo and sanctions on the country imposed by the United States, reported Anadolu Agency.
South Sudan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Deng Dau Deng, said they are urging the EU to help convince the US and the UN Security Council to lift the sanctions imposed.
In a telephonic interview with Anadolu Agency, Deng said the unilateral sanctions imposed by the US were endorsed by the EU and it is for this reason that they are seeking the latter’s support.
“We are very concerned about our government officials who have been sanctioned by the UN and US,” he said.
The South Sudanese minister added that they are implementing peace now and there is no reason for sanctions to remain.
In 2017, Washington imposed sanctions on some senior South Sudanese officials, including military officers, for obstructing the peace process.
Deng said the existing sanctions and arms embargo is affecting the government’s efforts to implement the peace deal.
Back in July 2018, the UNSC had imposed an arms embargo on South Sudan in the wake of renewed violence in July 2016 that collapsed the 2015 peace deal signed to end years of conflict.
The sanctioned officials include Vice President Taban Deng Gai, Presidential Advisor Kuol Manyang Juuk, Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro, and Information Minister Michael Makuei.
The South Sudanese government claims that due to the sanctions it is unable to procure weapons overseas and that is delaying graduation of the unified forces consisting of both government and opposition troops.
The parties to the 2018 peace deal formed the transitional unity government in February 2020 but are yet to conclude training and unification of the army to take charge of security during the ongoing three-year transitional period.
The government is also yet to establish the legislature, accountability, and transitional justice institutions including the passing of the amended permanent constitution.
