White House extends US national emergency on South Sudan

The United States on Tuesday declared a national emergency on South Sudan, saying the situation in and in relation to the young nation compels the US to extend the April 2014 national emergency order.

In a letter to the Speaker of United States House of representatives Paul Ryan, US President Donald J. Trump, says ‘Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination’ of the US national emergency and that he decided to extend it before it expires.

“In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13664 of April 3, 2014, with respect to South Sudan, is to continue in effect beyond April 3, 2018,” he said.

The American leader argues that South Sudan situation still poses a threat to the foreign policy and national security of the United States.

“The situation in and in relation to South Sudan, which has been marked by activities that threaten the peace, security, or stability of South Sudan and the surrounding region, including widespread violence and atrocities, human rights abuses, recruitment and use of child soldiers, attacks on peacekeepers and humanitarian aid workers, and obstruction of humanitarian operations, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” Trump explains.

“For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13664 with respect to South Sudan,” he added.

Washington did not give other reasons as to why it decided to extend its national emergency on South Sudan. The United States was the architect of the 2005 peace agreement that laid the groundwork for the split of South Sudan from Sudan.

SSNA