The US National Security Advisor Susan Rice has expressed concern about obstructions to humanitarian aid to the needy in South Sudan.

This statement comes after Ambassador Rice held a meeting with First Vice President Taban Deng in Washington DC on Tuesday.

The meeting revolved around the humanitarian situation and continued fighting in the country.

Several UN agencies and humanitarian groups have reported harassment of aid workers and restrictions of aid delivery to the displaced people.

“The South Sudanese Government’s role in continually obstructing UNMISS operations,” Ambassador Rice said in a statement.

Government officials in Juba were not immediately available to comment.  But in an interview with the Atlantic Council in the US recently, the First Vice President blamed the obstructions on poor roads and insecurity.

Taban Deng Gai said institutions were also weak and explained that a one-stop shop has been established to speed up paper work on clearance of patrols and aid workers to access certain areas.

Mr Rice also underscored the need for the South Sudanese government to engage opposition groups in dialogue and ensure that it governs inclusively, with strong participation by women and without domination by a single ethnic group or political party.

Meanwhile, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power has echoed the call to lift obstructions to humanitarian aid.

“Show real progress in lifting obstructions to UN peacekeeping mission and humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable,” Ambassador Power told Foreign Minister Deng Alor in a tweet.