JUBA, South Sudan, May 30, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for South Sudan, Hilde F. Johnson, met with the President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, earlier this morning and delivered the following statement to members of the news media at the conclusion of that meeting:
I’ve had a very constructive and good meeting with the President, His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit of the Republic of South Sudan. We have today discussed the new mandate for UNMISS passed by the Security Council early this week on Tuesday and I wanted also to inform the President that Security Council members have told me – they are responsible of course for the resolution – that they have consulted and informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on several occasions prior to the Security Council’s decision.
I also used the opportunity to reflect with the President that this is a new mandate, it is different from the one that was decided when I came in as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), which was in 2011. It is different and will imply changes also for the Mission. I informed the President that by Independence Day in July, I will have completed my three years as Special Representative, which is much more than usual for an SRSG in a peacekeeping mission of this nature, and in particular also with the crisis that we’ve gone through. I informed the President that I have come to the end of my term and I will be departing South Sudan.
It’s been a real honor to serve, and I will still be here for a few we eks. South Sudan really has a strong place in my heart and will contin! ue to have that. Thank you very much.