What happens in South Sudan matters greatly to the European Union. Beyond the suffering of the South Sudanese people, this crisis risks affecting a much wider region already prone to instability (Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Horn region). The European Union remains strongly committed to supporting regional and international efforts to end the violence, and maintain our call for a negotiated solution that will allow South Sudan’s leaders to resolve their differences peacefully and democratically.
EU response to the crisis
Together with the international community, the EU is engaged to prevent the crisis descending further into an ethnic-based civil war. The Council of the European Union has pledged today the EU's firm support to the efforts of neighbouring countries and regional organisations, particularly IGAD, to achieve, as a priority, an immediate cessation of hostilities and violence, accompanied by effective monitoring. The longer the fighting continues, the more polarised the situation becomes along ethnic lines and the harder it will be to put the country back together.
It has also supported the efforts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to open the way for an inclusive political dialogue which would require the immediate release of all political leaders currently under detention in Juba. The Council has encouraged all regional and international efforts to align with and support IGAD efforts and has strongly discouraged external intervention that could exacerbate the political and military tensions.
There is no military solution to this conflict. On 15 January, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, together with Commissioners Piebalgs and Commissioner Georgieva, have, deplored the loss of innocent lives and the suffering inflicted to the people of South Sudan. They have called on the responsibility of all of the country's leaders to protect the population and to act in the interest of the South Sudanese people as a whole. The Council of the EU has reinforced this message by announcing to consider targeted restrictive measures against individuals obstructing the political process, in support of African Union (AU) and IGAD efforts and in close coordination with international partners.
The EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Alexander Rondos, has travelled to the region and is in constant contact with key actors in South Sudan and the region to support building consensus around IGAD mediation efforts. The EU stands ready to continue to support that process both in substantive and financial terms. It is important that we all remain united behind IGAD's effort and give this process a chance. On 17 December 2013, the EU has announced a financial support of €1.1 Million to the mediation process in South Sudan facilitated by IGAD, using its African Peace Facility Early Response Mechanism.
The European Union is also very concerned by reports of human rights abuses. All parties need to be aware that perpetrators of systematic or targeted abuses of human rights will be held accountable for their actions. In particular the protection of all civilians must be respected. The European Union welcomes the AU’s intention to establish a Commission to investigate the human rights violations and abuses, including the root causes and triggering factors that led to the violence, and encourages this Commission to begin its work as soon as possible. The EU has also supported the ongoing strengthening of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) so that it can fulfil its protection of civilians mandate and reinforce its human rights investigative capacity.
EU Humanitarian Aid
The EU Delegation and the office of the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) department have remained – and continue to be - open throughout the crisis. ECHO has supported Member States in their efforts to evacuate their citizens and coordinated the evacuation of citizens of EU Member States not represented in Juba. It has also provided information on the unfolding situation to EU member states not represented in South Sudan so that they could advise their citizens about the security conditions in the country.
Continuing to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance to those in need, the European Commission is making €50 million available in 2014 in humanitarian funding to respond to the unfolding and intensifying crisis. Since the outbreak of the current wave of violence, over 575 000 people have been displaced – including 85 000 South Sudanese seeking refuge in neighbouring countries – and many more are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance.
The main needs are for food, healthcare, clean water, sanitation, shelter and protection.
As a part of our ongoing commitment to the people of South Sudan, the EU (including the Member States funding) has so far provided nearly €171 million in humanitarian assistance in fiscal years 2013 and 2014. The European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, warned that a humanitarian tragedy must be avoided at all cost and stressed the need for humanitarian actors to be present in country to continue their most essential work.
EU Development Assistance
Since South Sudan's independence, the EU has invested heavily in the country's state and nation building efforts, and become a major development partner. In 2011 and 2013, the EU adopted a number of projects worth €85 and €185 million respectively in the sectors of agriculture, education, health and rule of law. At present, the political and security environment is not conducive for regular development cooperation, and we are reviewing our portfolio of activities to determine what actions could continue being implemented and what actions would need to be suspended until a more conducive environment is reinstated. This review is being done with prime concern for both the security and safety of our implementing partners and the needs of the population who currently benefit from EU development activities.