File: Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General.

The new head of the UN Mission in South Sudan has expressed hope that South Sudan will return to peace and stability.
A statement by UNMISS yesterday indicated that Haysom expressed the UN’s commitment to working with the people and leaders of South Sudan to secure stability and prosperity.

Haysom succeeds David Shearer of New Zealand who has served as UNMISS head since 2016.

During Mr. Shearer’s tenure, South Sudan’s political leaders recommitted to peace through the revitalized peace agreement signed in September 2018.

They then formed a unity government to steer the country to peace and stability.

Large-scale fighting has also subsided but clashes continued to be reported between armed communities.

The government and opposition groups that did not sign the peace deal had also clashed last year, as Rome-based Sant’Egidio religious leaders try to mediate between them.

But speaking upon arrival in Juba on Sunday, the new UNMISS chief said South Sudan is entering a new phase and people’s expectations are high.

He expressed what he terms real hope for progress in the implementation of the peace agreement and, achieving durable peace.

The UNMISS chief said the UN will continue to work with South Sudanese as well as regional and international partners to provide stability and, ultimately, secure prosperity for all citizens.

UNMISS said in the statement that Haysom, who is now in a mandatory quarantine in compliance with COVID-19 protocols, will thereafter begin a busy schedule of meetings with South Sudan’s leaders, the diplomatic community, and other key stakeholders in the peace process.

“Our priority is to support all efforts to push the peace process forward with a focus on key areas such as constitution-making, security, justice and economic reforms, and assisting preparations for elections,” he said.

There is almost 20,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping personnel in South Sudan whose primary mandate is to protect civilians and help build peace.