51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Item 10 - Interactive dialogue on the oral update of OHCHR on technical assistance and capacity-building for South Sudan
Statement by Iceland on behalf of the Nordic Baltic Countries
4 October 2022
Thank you Mr President.
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic Countries - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, and my own country Iceland.
Human rights violations and abuses and human suffering remain pervasive in South Sudan. Extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions, sexual and gender-based violence are sadly only some of the ongoing violations and abuses. These must stop.
We urge the Government – that has the primary responsibility to protect its population – to take long-awaited steps to improve the security situation in the country. This must include investigating and holding those responsible of human rights violations and abuses to account.
With the recent two-year extension of the Peace Agreement and the Government’s own Roadmap, we call for a renewed push for the implementation of Chapter V on transitional justice. The technical assistance provided by the Office of the High Commissioner is fundamental to ensure this. Building capacity in national courts to investigate and prosecute alleged crimes is imperative.
The support of the Office of the High Commissioner can only translate to progress with the full cooperation of the Government. We urge the Government to make use of the support provided, to take active measures to reduce the level of violence and ensure that those responsible are held to account.
Thank you.