UN Faces Crucial Vote on South Sudan Arms Embargo Extension

Global attention has once again turned to South Sudan, where a prolonged conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths, the displacement of over 2.3 million people, and widespread malnutrition affecting an estimated 60,000 children. Despite international efforts to bring the violence to an end—including a United Nations arms embargo set to expire on May 31—the situation remains dire. Members of the UN Security Council are now preparing to vote on a draft resolution to extend the sanctions.

The UN imposed the arms embargo on South Sudan in 2018, building on a broader sanctions framework established in 2015. However, violations have persisted, including the recent deployment of Ugandan troops and military equipment into South Sudan in March 2025.

Amnesty International has warned that lifting the embargo could endanger civilian lives, arguing that the human rights situation would likely have been far worse without it. Meanwhile, many South Sudanese have expressed frustration with the UN’s peacekeeping mission, criticizing it for its perceived inaction amid ongoing violence.