These products are the results of academic research and intended for general information and awareness only. They include the best information publicly available at the time of publication. Routine efforts are made to update the materials; however, readers are encouraged to check the specific mission sites at https://unmiss.unmissions.org or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unmiss.
These products are the results of academic research and intended for general information and awareness only. They include the best information publicly available at the time of publication. Routine efforts are made to update the materials; however, readers are encouraged to check the specific mission sites at https://unmiss.unmissions.org or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unmiss.
Protect the Civilian Population, by all necessary means within its capacity and areas of deployment. This includes deterring violence through proactive deployments and active patrolling with particular attention to internally displaced persons (IDPs) including those in PoC sites and refugee camps, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders. Other PoC activities mentioned in the mandate include:
Implementation of a mission-wide early warning strategy and specific information management mechanisms for responding to threats against the civilian population;
Deter and prevent sexual and gender-based violence;
Prevent and mitigate inter-communal conflict through mediation and community engagement;
Support community violence reduction programs that engage women and youth; Facilitate the safe and voluntary return of displaced persons
Creating the conditions conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance to contribute, in close coordination with humanitarian actors;
Supporting the Implementation of the Revitalised Agreement and the Peace Process: to carry out, within its capabilities, the following tasks in support of the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement and the peace process, and recognizing that the tasks outlined in paragraph 10 are essential to creating an enabling environment for implementation of the Revitalised Agreement and the peace process;
Monitoring and investigating human rights: to monitor, investigate, verify, and report immediately, publicly, and regularly on abuses and violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, including those that may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, specifically and publicly on violations and abuses committed against children and women, including those involving all forms of sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict.
Previous Security Council Resolutions relevant to UNMISS can be found at:
These products are the results of academic research and intended for general information and awareness only. They include the best information publicly available at the time of publication. Routine efforts are made to update the materials; however, readers are encouraged to check the specific mission sites at https://unmiss.unmissions.org or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unmiss.
Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG): Mr. David Shearer (New Zealand)
Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG), Political Affairs: Mr. Moustapha Soumaré (Mali)
Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG), Humanitarian Affairs and UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of UNDP: Mr. Alain Noudéhou (Benin)
These products are the results of academic research and intended for general information and awareness only. They include the best information publicly available at the time of publication. Routine efforts are made to update the materials; however, readers are encouraged to check the specific mission sites at https://unmiss.unmissions.org or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unmiss.
Administrative divisions: 10 states; Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria; note – in 2015, the creation of 28 new states was announced and in 2017 four additional; following the February 2020 peace agreement, the country was reportedly again reorganized into the 10 original states, plus 2 administrative areas, Pibor and Ruweng, and 1 special administrative status area, Abyei; this latest administrative revision has not yet been vetted by the US Board on Geographic Names.
Constitution:
history: previous 2005 (preindependence); latest signed 7 July 2011, effective 9 July 2011 (Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011).
amendments: proposed by the National Legislature or by the president of the republic; passage requires submission of the proposal to the Legislature at least one month prior to consideration, approval by at least two-thirds majority vote in both houses of the Legislature, and assent of the president; amended 2013, 2015, 2018.
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011); First Vice President Riek MACHAR Teny Dhurgon (since 22 February 2020); Vice President James Wani IGGA (since 26 April 2016); Vice President TABAN Deng Gai (since 22 February 2020); Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng Chol GARANG de Mabior (since 22 February 2020); Vice President Hussein ABDELBAGI Ayii (since 22 February 2020); note – the president is both chief of state and head of government.
head of government: President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011); First Vice President Taban Deng GAI (since 26 July 2016); Vice President James Wani IGGA (since 26 April 2016); Vice President TABAN Deng Gai (since 22 February 2020); Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng Chol GARANG de Mabior (since 22 February 2020); Vice President Hussein ABDELBAGI Ayii (since 22 February 2020); note – the president is both chief of state and head of government.
cabinet: National Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly.
elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11-15 April 2010 (next election scheduled for 2015 postponed to 2018 and again to 2021).
election results: Salva KIIR Mayardit elected president; percent of vote – Salva KIIR Mayardit (SPLM) 93%, Lam AKOL (SPLM-DC) 7%.
Legislative branch:
description: bicameral National Legislature consists of:
Council of States, established by presidential decree in August 2011 (50 seats; 20 former members of the Council of States and 30 appointed representatives).
Transitional National Legislative Assembly, established on 4 August 2016, in accordance with the August 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (400 seats; 170 members elected in April 2010, 96 members of the former National Assembly, 66 members appointed after independence, and 68 members added as a result of the 2016 Agreement); the TNLA will be expanded to 550 members after the transitional government forms.
elections:
Council of States – established and members appointed 1 August 2011.
National Legislative Assembly – last held 11-15 April 2010 but did not take office until July 2011; current parliamentary term extended until 2021).
election results:
Council of States – percent of vote by party – NA; seats by party – SPLM 20, unknown 30; composition – men 44, women 6, percent of women 12%.
National Legislative Assembly – percent of vote by party – NA; seats by party – SPLM 251, DCP 10, independent 6, unknown 133; composition – men 291, women 109, percent of women 27.3%; note – total National Legislature percent of women 25.6%.
Judicial branch:
highest courts: Supreme Court of South Sudan (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices, 9 other justices and normally organized into panels of 3 justices, except when sitting as a Constitutional panel of all 9 justices chaired by the chief justice).
judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president upon proposal of the Judicial Service Council, a 9-member judicial and administrative body; justice tenure set by the National Legislature.
subordinate courts: national level – Courts of Appeal; High Courts; County Courts; state level – High Courts; County Courts; customary courts; other specialized courts and tribunals.
These products are the results of academic research and intended for general information and awareness only. They include the best information publicly available at the time of publication. Routine efforts are made to update the materials; however, readers are encouraged to check the specific mission sites at https://unmiss.unmissions.org or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unmiss.
From Cia Factbook (Page last updated on February 24, 2021)
Military and security forces: South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF): Ground Force, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Presidential Guard (2019).
Military expenditures:
3.5% of GDP (2019)
3.7% of GDP (2018)
2.4% of GDP (2017)
4.6% of GDP (2016)
10% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths: the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) has an estimated 190,000 active personnel, including ground, air, and riverine forces; note – efforts by the government and the various rebel groups to form a unified national army have stalled (2019 est.).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the SSPDF inventory is primarily of Soviet origin; South Sudan was under a UN arms embargo through May 2020; from 2010 to 2015, Russian and the United Arab Emirates were the leading suppliers of arms and equipment (2020).
Military service age and obligation: 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service; the Government of South Sudan signed agreements in March 2012 and August 2015 that included the demobilization of all child soldiers within the armed forces and opposition, but the recruitment of child soldiers by the warring parties continues; as of the end of 2018, UNICEF estimated that more than 19,000 child soldiers had been used in the country’s civil war since it began in December 2013 (2018).
Military – note: under the September 2018 peace agreement, all armed groups in South Sudan were to assemble at designated sites where fighters could be either disarmed and demobilized, or integrated into unified military and police forces; the unified forces were then to be retrained and deployed prior to the formation of a national unity government; all fighters were ordered to these sites in July 2019; some progress toward merging the various armed forces into a national army has been made; for example, in May 2020, South Sudan announced that it was graduating some unified forces at various training centers across the country, and in June the SSPDF incorporated some senior officers from the main opposition force, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Army – in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) into its rank structure; nevertheless, progress has been slow, and as of December 2020 armed clashes continued to occur between government forces and armed militant groups in Eastern Equatorial, Western Equatorial, Central Equatorial, Lakes, Jonglei, and Warrap states.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has operated in the country since 2011 with the objectives of consolidating peace and security and helping establish conditions for the successful economic and political development of South Sudan; UNMISS had more than 19,000 personnel, including about 14,200 troops, deployed in the country as of December 2020.
The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; UNISFA’s mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; UNISFA had about 3,700 military personnel deployed as of December 2020.
Other information on South Sudan – Military / Security:
South Sudan has joined the ranks of neighboring countries in the region by elevating its national army to a more professional force and walking away from its liberationist and rebel outfit image. The new formal name is South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and this brings an end to Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA).
South Sudan People’s Defense Forces. South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) is the official regular forces of GoSS, led by President Salva Kiir (Dinka). The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) was renamed the SSPDF on 2 Sep 18. The SPLA came into being in 1983, and under Col John Garang, fought against the Sudanese government in Khartoum. At independence in 2011, it became the national armed forces for South Sudan, and in 2013, when the civil war began, forces loyal to Riek Machar broke off to form the SPLA-iO (in opposition), which continues to form the main armed opposition to the government. The SSPDF is an organized and structured military force with some shortfalls in Command and Control, discipline, and morale. It is organized according to the common force doctrine in divisions, brigades, battalions, and companies. The AOR of SSPDF is divided into Sectors covering all 10 states. With its main battle tanks, combat helicopters, and artillery, SSPDF has huge firepower advantages over Riek Machar’s SPLA-iO (mainly light infantry forces).
Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition. The South Sudan People Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A) is a political ethnic movement that contains both a political and military wing and is engaged in violent conflict with the South Sudanese Government. The SPLM/A leader is the former vice president of South Sudan, Dr. Riek Machar. Leadership struggles between Machar and the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, resulted in the formation of the SPLM/A as a breakaway group from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). The SPLM/A calls for the restructuring of South Sudan’s government, the establishment of a federal system, judicial independence as well as public sector reform. Centre of Operations The SPLM/A strongholds are in the Unity, Jonglei, Upper Nile, and Eastern Equatoria regions.
National Security Service. The National Security Service (NSS) is South Sudan’s intelligence and counter-terrorism agency. The leading faction inside NSS consists of faithful Dinka followers of Salva Kiir Government. With NSS, the opposition of the government must deal with the permanent investigation, repressive measures, and suppression.
South Sudan National Police Service. The South Sudan National Police Service’s (SSNPS) main tasks are traffic and road safety, community policing, and criminal intelligence.
Presidential Guard. Presidential Guard (SSPDF Tiger Division). This division located in Juba is an SSPDF elite military unit (Dinka soldiers) and its main task is to protect President Salva Kiir.
National Salvation Front. National Salvation Front (NAS), led by Gen. Thomas Cirillo Swaka is a militant group fighting against the Government in the Equatorias.
Nuer White Army. A semi-autonomous militia mostly recruited from the Lou Nuer. It is typically not a standing force but can be mobilized by an organized force such as SPLA-iO, by community leaders in defense of towns or herds, or raiding other communities. The Nuer youth don’t necessarily pursue the same strategic objectives as the SPLA-iO. They are primarily motivated by revenge (killing Dinkas as a “payback”) and looting.
Arrow Boys. A series of self-defense groups in Western Equatoria first organized in reaction to the LRA. Many received international training and support and later rebelled against the Government of South Sudan under several different groups.
SSPDF Assessed Areas Of Operation
These products are the results of academic research and intended for general information and awareness only. They include the best information publicly available at the time of publication. Routine efforts are made to update the materials; however, readers are encouraged to check the specific mission sites at https://unmiss.unmissions.org or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unmiss.
Peter Fitzgerald / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)
From Cia Factbook (Page last updated on October 09, 2020)
Location: East-Central Africa; south of Sudan, north of Uganda and Kenya, west of Ethiopia
Area:
total: 644,329 sq km
land: NA
water: NA
Land boundaries:
total: 6,018 km
border countries (6): Central African Republic 1055 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 714 km, Ethiopia 1299 km, Kenya 317 km, Sudan 2158 km, Uganda 475 km
note: South Sudan-Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment; final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei Area pending negotiations between South Sudan and Sudan
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: hot with seasonal rainfall influenced by the annual shift of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone; rainfall heaviest in upland areas of the south and diminishes to the north
Terrain: plains in the north and center rise to southern highlands along the border with Uganda and Kenya; the White Nile, flowing north out of the uplands of Central Africa, is the major geographic feature of the country; The Sudd (a name derived from floating vegetation that hinders navigation) is a large swampy area of more than 100,000 sq km fed by the waters of the White Nile that dominates the center of the country
Population distribution: clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile as shown in this population distribution map
Environment – current issues: water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife conservation and loss of biodiversity; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought
These products are the results of academic research and intended for general information and awareness only. They include the best information publicly available at the time of publication. Routine efforts are made to update the materials; however, readers are encouraged to check the specific mission sites at https://unmiss.unmissions.org or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unmiss.
Updates from South Sudan by IPI, Global Conflict Tracker, and ZIF:
Assessing the Effectiveness of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan – UNMISS, by EPON (Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network) – Report 2/2019
These products are the results of academic research and intended for general information and awareness only. They include the best information publicly available at the time of publication. Routine efforts are made to update the materials; however, readers are encouraged to check the specific mission sites at https://unmiss.unmissions.org or https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unmiss.
