The U.N. Security Council has granted a nine-day extension to its peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, pushing the deadline to May 9 as the country’s leadership faces escalating discord.
The unanimous decision, formalized in Resolution 2778 (2025), ensures UNMISS retains authority to employ “all necessary means” beyond its initial April 30 expiration.
This stopgap measure allows further deliberation while South Sudan’s political climate grows increasingly volatile.
Observers warn the standoff between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar—who has been confined to his Juba residence since late March—could unravel the nation’s shaky peace.
The 2018 power-sharing agreement between the longtime adversaries, intended to stabilize the young nation, now teeters amid renewed hostilities.
Peacekeeping officials stress the urgent need for resolution, noting the feud jeopardizes South Sudan’s fragile progress. Established in 2011 after the country’s independence, UNMISS has seen annual mandate renewals amid persistent violence.
Yet despite an April 16 Security Council briefing, consensus on a long-term strategy remains elusive as the crisis deepens.
