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UNITED NATIONS. — UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon here on Thursday called on all leaders in South Sudan to find an inclusive and mutually agreed power-sharing arrangement to start a transitional phase of governance.
Ban made the call at a high-level meeting chaired by UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos and held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s annual debate, which drew attention to the humanitarian situation in the world’s youngest nation.

“South Sudan has fertile land and valuable reserves of oil. It has a potentially vibrant economy. But instead of thriving, the country is failing,” he told the meeting. “The dire humanitarian situation is primarily man made.”

Noting there is no military solution to the conflict, the UN chief said “the international community must remain committed to impose punitive measures on those responsible for the violence and impeding the peace process.”

Since the conflict started in South Sudan nine months ago, tens of thousands have been killed, he said. Nearly 2 million people have fled their homes and nearly half a million have crossed borders into neighbouring countries.

“Almost a hundred thousand people are sheltering at United Nations peacekeeping bases. Without the UN’s protection, thousands would probably have died,” Ban said. “Outside UN bases, hundreds of thousands of displaced people live in insecurity and lack the basics to survive. Humanitarian agencies face enormous problems in reaching them.”

In addition, “around four million people — more than a third of the entire country — suffer alarming food insecurity. Unless we act quickly, some 50,000 children could die before the end of this year.”

Amos, who is also UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, announced that she was releasing 60 million U.S. dollars from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for South Sudan and the region. The Fund receives contributions from various donors — mainly governments, but also private companies, foundations, charities and individuals.

She noted that while the crisis of famine has been averted for the immediate future, the situation remains “extremely fragile.”

“We have to put the people first,” Amos said.

Blaming the leaders of South Sudan for a country that is failing its people, Ban said they “opened the wounds that have caused so much suffering. Now heal them. The parties owe this to their people and future generations.” — Xinhua.