UN Peacekeeping Bases Shutter in South Sudan Amid Funding Crisis
UN Peacekeeping Bases Shutter in South Sudan Amid Funding Crisis
—————————–
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has begun closing multiple field offices and operating bases across the country due to a severe global budget shortfall.
According to The Sudan Times, the drawdown comes as the world’s youngest nation faces a 15% funding reduction and a 25% decrease in uniformed personnel mandated by the UN Secretary-General.
Key bases in Torit, Aweil, Yei, and Akobo are among those being shuttered. The mission cited “delays and gaps in member state contributions” as the primary driver for the cuts. Witnesses recently observed UN-marked convoys departing the Torit base, which has historically been a flashpoint for conflict.
The timing is critical; South Sudan is currently grappling with a sharp return to political instability. Following the March 2025 arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar on treason charges, violent clashes between government forces and opposition militias have intensified. Human rights groups warn that these closures create dangerous “security vacuums,” leaving thousands of displaced civilians without the protection of permanent peacekeeping patrols during the escalating national crisis.
