Hon. Mayiik Ayii, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of South Sudan in his office; photo courtesy/ MoFA& Intl Cooperation

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation says it is disappointed by the renewed arms embargo and targeted sanctions on South Sudan.

On Thursday, the U.N. Security Council extended the arms embargo and targeted sanctions on South Sudan by one year.

The arms embargo won a narrow margin that saw the approval of 10 out of the 15 council members, late on Thursday.

This is as five countries abstained from voting on the US drafted resolution. They are China, Russia, India, Gabon and Kenya.

In reaction to the decision, the Foreign Affairs Ministry applauded the position of countries that abstained in the recent vote.

It said their stance clearly demonstrate the sanctions and arms embargo is counterproductive.

The ministry added that “These countries understand that the United Nation’s vision of world peace requires that sovereign nations respect one another as equals. They stand in solidarity with the people of South Sudan, for whom these sanctions are a cruel policy with no clear intention.”

Ghana voted in favor of the arms embargo, something the ministry says it is disappointed about as this contradicts AU’s previous position rejecting a US- sanctions – when Ghana was the chair.

Conclusively, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said South Sudan will continue to model reconciliation through the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU),

It then called on friendly nations to support our efforts to stabilize the country, including the sovereign right to defend our territorial integrity.