Germany closes embassy over fears of civil war in South Sudan
Germany has decided to close its embassy in South Sudan due to the increasing likelihood that a civil war will soon break out in the country.
As reported by the Associated Press, the decision to temporary shut down the German embassy-located in the South Sudanese capital of Juba- was made by the crisis team of the Germany Foreign Minister over concerns that embassy staff could be in danger.
Speaking on the issue, German Foreign Minster Annalena Baerbock stated on social media, “After years of fragile peace, South Sudan is once again on the brink of civil war”.
She went on to blame the country’s two main leaders, President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar, for “plunging the country into a spiral of violence” and urged them to find a compromise before full-scale war breaks out.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has been plagued by internal strife. The most devasting conflict was the five-year civil war between Kiir and Machar, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 400,000 people
The war ended in 2018 with a fragile peace deal in both leaders agreed to share power. However, growing tensions and political disagreements have made that arrangement increasingly untenable, and another civil war now appears imminent.
The long-stranding political and personal rivalry between Kiir and Machar is widely seen as a key factor in Souths Sudan’s ongoing instability. With no clear alternative in sight, the world can do little but watch as the country teeters on the edge of renewed conflict.
Associated Press
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