Divided UN extends arms embargo on South Sudan as fears of renewed civil war grow

U.N. extends arms embargo on South Sudan amid escalating tensions, risking return to civil war.

A divided U.N. Security Council voted Friday (May 30, 2025) to extend an arms embargo on South Sudan, where escalating political tensions have led the U.N. to warn that the country could again plunge into civil war.

A U.S.-sponsored resolution to extend the embargo and other sanctions was approved by the narrowest margin — the minimum nine “yes” votes required. Six countries abstained — Russia, China, Algeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Pakistan.

The arms embargo, and travel bans and asset freezes on South Sudanese on the U.N. sanctions blacklist, were extended for a year until May 31, 2026.

There were high hopes for peace and stability after oil-rich South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, becoming the world’s newest nation.

But the country slid into civil war in December 2013 when forces loyal to President Salva Kiir, who is from the largest ethnic group in the country, the Dinka, started battling those loyal to Riek Machar, who is from the second-largest ethnic group, the Nuer.

A 2018 peace deal that brought Machar into the government as first Vice-President has been fragile, and implementation has been slow. A presidential election has been postponed until 2026.

Last month, the U.N. envoy to South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, warned that the escalating rivalry between Kiir and Machar had degenerated into direct military confrontation between their parties and led to Machar’s arrest.