Ambassador Jennifer Locetta
Friday, 13 February 2026 | Author – Alex Onyango | Nairobi-Kenya | File Photo | GT-News | South Sudan | Juba |
The United States’ Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs, Ambassador Jennifer Locetta, said South Sudan’s leaders have systematically undermined their independence goal, and they have repeatedly pushed the country back to the brink of war.
In a press statement extended to this outlet, Locetta stated that the military operations across the Greater Equatoria and Greater Upper Nile network provide stark evidence of South Sudan’s willful actions to move further from peace and stability.
The US senior official said the violence across these two regions has resulted in the displacement of thousands of civilians, forced aid organizations to suspend their operations, and caused the immediate evacuation of UNMISS personnel.
She said these actions directly obstruct UNMISS’s ability to protect civilians and catastrophically worsen a dire humanitarian emergency.
“We strongly condemn South Sudan’s leaders’ actions and urge all parties to immediately cease offensive military operations, withdraw all forces, and ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to affected populations,” Locetta asserted
“We are also concerned by the transitional government’s repeated unilateral amendments to the Revitalized Agreement. Any revisions to the agreement must be achieved through transparent, inclusive dialogue involving all signatories, rather than through unilateral action,’ she added.
The United States government took note of the UN’s February 3 White Note on South Sudan’s progress on UNMISS’s Contingency Plans; however, the US government urged UN Security Council members to continue pressuring the transitional government to lift all remaining impediments to UNMISS’s operations.
“We condemn the host country’s government’s interference, which has imposed unnecessary costs on UNMISS. These financial burdens – paid for by this international community – cannot go unaddressed. South Sudan must be held financially accountable for these costs,” Locetta said.
“President Trump has made clear that American engagement requires genuine partnership, not exploitation of our goodwill and resources,” she emphasised.
South Sudanese officials continue to fail to uphold basic commitments under the status of forces agreement and demand to close critical bases in Wau and Bentiu, Locetta said.
“Our position is unequivocal: any further non-cooperation by South Sudan will constitute a threat to the Mission’s viability. This will be a decisive factor in our future decisions regarding assistance, diplomatic engagement, and the Mission’s future,” she concluded.
