Statements by Neven MIMICA, Member of the EC in charge of International Cooperation and Development, Cecile Kashetu KYENGE (S&amp;D, IT), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK) and Marietje SCHAAKE (ALDE, NL)&nbsp;on the situation in South Soudan, during the EP plenary session &nbsp;(01-02/02)&nbsp;in Brussels.

Brussels

debate

plenary session

KYENGE, Cécile Kashetu (S&D, IT)

EU - South Sudan (T)

TANNOCK, Timothy Charles Ayrton (ECR, UK)

SCHAAKE, Marietje (ALDE, NL)

MIMICA, Neven (HR, EC)

Situation in South Sudan: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Neven MIMICA, Member of the EC in charge of International Cooperation and Development, South Sudan must to our regret, has not yet acceded to the COTONOU agreement. And it is therefore not eligible for the full range of development support. The European Union remains committed to help. In 2016, European Union provided143 millions euros of humanitarian assistance to South Sudan, as well as for supporting the provision of basic services.

SOUNDBITE (English), Neven MIMICA, Member of the EC in charge of International Cooperation and Development , The regional protection force that was mandated by the UN Security Council last year to reinforce the United Nations' Mission in South Sudan must be deployed swiftly. The south Sudanese authorities must allow unrestricted humanitarian access to those in need. All parties must be brought into an inclusive political process based on the 2015 peace agreement which remains a blue print if properly implemented for establishing a functional institution framework for the state of South Sudan.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), C&#233;cile Kashetu KYENGE (S&amp;D, IT), There is a complete lack of interest in the international community. Given the dire situation in South Sudan, the Security Council was looking at a resolution on an arms embargo, but what happened, very little. The United Nation sounded the alarm about a pre-genocide situation, ethnic cleansing. In different part of the country the blue helmets, UN troops, cannot protect civilians and having to withdraw. It is one of the most apalling situations anywhere in the world. I call on the political leadership in South Sudan, and Riek MACHAR, former Vice President, must protect the population, both are responsible for terrible atrocities and massacres. It is urgent to return to the path of dialogue with a cease-fire.

SOUNDBITE (English), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), As an enthusiastic supporter of South Sudan's independence, it's very sad for me that there is so little to celebrate in its first five years of existence as an independent state. It's been plunged into the civil war and ther have been widespread war crimes and atrocities committed ever since 2013. I naturally welcome the recent joint call from EGA, the UN and the African Union for cession of hostilities, and it isn an encouraging sign today that the rebel leader Riek MACHAR has indeed backed this call, but the fighting, sadly, goes on.

SOUNDBITE (English), Marietje SCHAAKE (ALDE, NL), The UN Human Rights Committee has warned that Soutrh Sudan is on the brink of genocide. Starvation, gang rape and fighting between militias escalating to levels that seem to amount to ethnic cleansing, and the gravity of these crimes and the extraordinary violence while there is impunity for the perpetrators has to end. Besides these atrocities we see crack down on society and the media preventing accountability and documentation. So it is very urgent that we act now as the European Union as well in context of cooperation with the African Union and the United Nations