U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Michael J. Adler. (Courtesy)

 The U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan is calling on the unity government to address the fundamental factors contributing to the country’s humanitarian needs including conflict and poverty.

Michael J. Adler also called for respect of human rights and an end to gender-based violence among others.

“As the largest contributor of humanitarian assistance to the South Sudanese people, the United States remains deeply committed to helping those in need by providing needs-based assistance,” Adler said.

“However, humanitarian assistance is only a temporary solution. Long term solutions must address the root causes of humanitarian need, including conflict, insecurity, and weak rule of law.”

The US envoy was speaking in Juba on Wednesday during the commemoration of the accomplishments and impact of $85 million, provided through the U.S. government’s multi-year emergency resilience programs in South Sudan over the past three years.

According to the latest Intergrated Food Security Classification Phase (IPC), South Sudan remains one of the countries with the highest number of food-insecure people globally.

Ambassador Adler added: “Only the transitional government can address the fundamental drivers of humanitarian need of conflict and poverty.”

Washington’s top diplomat in the country also called on the unity government to work towards holding a free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in December 2024.

“We reaffirm our call to the transitional government to meet those commitments necessary to hold free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections by the end of next year to address human rights and gender-based violence to ensure accountability and ensure that public revenue is used appropriately to meet public needs.”

He also emphasized that the transitional government must create conducive environment to effective development assistance and to responsible private investment.

This, Mr. Adler said, will pave way for prosperity that the South Sudanese people seek and deserve – and which their friends wish them to achieve.

In August 2023, the US envoy said the fundamental problem in the context of South Sudan is not institutional weakness, but mismanagement of public revenue, and corruption, which according to him, has harmed public and private sector investment.

Ambassador Adler further said the government in Juba must meet its peace commitment and sovereign obligation to take responsibility for its own people by using public revenue to respond to humanitarian needs.

The United States is the largest international donor of humanitarian assistance to South Sudan – and has provided over 1 billion U.S. dollars in relief package in 2022 alone.