The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States, Norway, and the United Kingdom on South Sudan.
Begin Text:
Following recent senior-level visits from our capitals to Juba, the Governments of Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States reaffirm our call for South Sudan’s leaders urgently to take steps necessary to ensure genuine and peaceful elections in December. This process should address the ten questions posed by the trilateral mechanism (UN, AU and IGAD).
Not taking these critical steps and so not allowing elections would be a collective failure on the part of South Sudan’s leaders.
We further urge the transitional government to use public revenue in a transparent manner to address public needs, including funding and operationalization of electoral institutions.
Our relationship with South Sudan remains based on our conviction that the South Sudanese people deserve peace, human rights, democracy, and a government that is responsive to the needs of its citizens. We look to South Sudan’s leaders to demonstrate that they share these values by honoring their own commitments to their people.
End Text.