The United States welcomes the decision by the Peace and Security Council of the African Union to release the report of the Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan. This is a long-awaited and necessary step in addressing the call of the South Sudanese people for justice and reconciliation. The terrible human suffering exacted during South Sudan’s conflict – from ethnically motivated murders, to reprisal killings, to widespread sexual violence – demands nothing less than a full and impartial accounting.

The United States appreciates the Peace and Security Council’s mandate for the African Union Commission to establish the Hybrid Court for South Sudan as provided for by the August peace agreement. The establishment of an independent, credible institution will be vital to ending the cycle of impunity that has perpetuated conflict in South Sudan and critical to the full implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. The numerous and disturbing reports of abuses and violations by both parties to the conflict underline the need for a credible court to try those most responsible for atrocities.

We urge the Commission to work closely with the United Nations, international partners, and the people of South Sudan to determine the mandate, structure, and location of the new court. The United States has committed $5 million to promote justice and accountability in South Sudan and calls on other partners to join us in offering financial and technical support. We stand ready to support a credible, impartial, and effective court that provides the South Sudanese people the justice they deserve.