The head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, Ellen Margrethe Løj, will step down next month.

According to the acting spokeswoman of UNMISS, Ms Loj has already informed the UN boss, Ban ki-Moon, on the plan to quit the job in five weeks.

Ms Løj was appointed UNMISS chief by ki-Moon in July 2014 and assumed her duties in September of that year.

She had planned to retire at the end of her current contract, which expired at the end of August of this year.

“But because of the recent crisis in Juba, she decided to stay on until the situation could reach a point seen as stabilized,” Ms Persaud told Eye Radio.

“So right now, she is going to continue as the head of the mission until the end of November.”

Ms Løj, a Danish national, succeeded Ms Hilde Johnson in 2014.