Our engagement to support the people of what is today South Sudan began decades ago, and it began truly as people-to-people engagement. It was and remains based on values including peace, human rights, democracy, and people’s right to a government that is responsive to their needs, not to that of a small elite.

We continue to look for signs that South Sudanese leaders share these values.

The best way for them to show this is for the transitional government to take the steps necessary to hold free, fair, and peaceful elections by December of this year.  We urge all of South Sudan’s leaders to take these necessary steps, and we urge them to reject violence as a tool for competition.

Another way to demonstrate alignment with the foundational values in our bilateral relationships would be for the transitional government to start using public revenue transparently to meet public needs.  This includes funding for humanitarian support for returnees from Sudan, for the health sector, education and other basic services, and for consistent salary payments to security personnel and civil servants, as well as funding for necessary electoral institutions.

We say again that we began our engagement here because of our values, and these values start with peace.  We look for signs that these priorities are shared by South Sudan’s leaders.  History will look as well. History will judge.