December 18th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – The United States of American has threatened to impose further sanctions on South Sudan peace spoilers days after sanctions were imposed on ministers of defense and cabinet affairs.
The US ambassador to South Sudan Thomas Hushek on Wednesday warned that Washington would not hesitate to slap additional sanctions on “spoilers” holding back peace in the war-torn nation.
“We are looking at all spoilers of the peace process,” he told reporters in Juba during his first press briefing since returning from Washington. “Sanctions… is one of the tools we will continue to have in our tool box, and we will use them.”
“There have been missed deadlines all throughout this process. If the process moves forward, this is the way to prevent future sanctions.”
Hushek was recalled in November when South Sudan’s rival leaders failed to meet several deadlines for formation of the long-awaited Reconstituted Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU).
Early this week, the US slapped sanctions on two South Sudan ministers, Kuol Manyang Juuk of defense and Martin Elia Lomoro of cabinet affairs, for obstructing a peace accord signed in 2018 that has paused, but not resolved, five years of conflict.
