The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, has issued a scathing rebuke of South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and the transitional government, accusing them of driving the country backward and undermining international peace efforts. The Ambassador delivered this strongly-worded warning during a UN Security Council meeting held last Thursday, April 30.
While Washington voted to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Waltz clarified that future support is strictly contingent on the government in Juba making fundamental changes. He emphasized that the U.S. is deeply concerned by Kiir’s actions, which he claimed exploit international aid for personal gain while obstructing those genuinely trying to assist the nation.
Ambassador Waltz explicitly detailed Washington’s growing frustration with the Juba administration, specifically citing the stagnation of the 2018 peace agreement and the failure to implement promised reforms. A major point of contention involves the systematic restrictions placed on the United Nations and various humanitarian organizations.
These obstructions have been particularly severe in northern Jonglei, where government forces have repeatedly blocked essential aid operations. The Ambassador noted that these political failures are not just diplomatic issues but human tragedies that affect the most vulnerable citizens.
According to Waltz, the true cost of this political failure is borne by the ordinary people of South Sudan. He described a grim reality for citizens: mothers forced to flee their homes with their children, aid workers being harassed and threatened at military checkpoints, and young girls running from armed groups instead of attending school. Despite years having passed since independence and the signing of multiple peace deals, Waltz lamented that basic security remains a distant dream for many South Sudanese families who continue to live in constant fear.
Furthermore, the United States has accused the Juba government of systematically sabotaging the activities of UNMISS. The Ambassador revealed that between October of last year and March 2026, the government committed more than 480 violations of the Status of Forces Agreement.
This means that on nearly 500 occasions, peacekeepers were blocked, humanitarian access was denied, UN flights were obstructed, and millions of dollars in resources were wasted. Waltz argued that the core problem is not the language of the UN mandate itself, but rather a host government that actively works against the peace mission it originally agreed to accept.
Turning to the subject of the proposed national elections, Ambassador Waltz expressed severe skepticism regarding the government’s readiness. He characterized the preparations as “minimal to non-existent,” noting that key legislative decisions have been delayed and essential funding is still missing. For a free and fair election to occur, the U.S. maintains that outstanding provisions of the 2018 peace agreement must be fulfilled and genuine dialogue must resume among all signatories. The Ambassador stressed that true political dialogue is impossible while key opposition leaders remain imprisoned or under trial. He called on the Juba administration to open the political space and engage in honest negotiations.
