The Ugandan Parliament has approved a military deployment to South Sudan as tensions rise following the collapse of the country’s fragile coalition government.
The crisis stems from a growing rift between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and his deputy, former rebel leader Riek Machar. Last week, Machar’s party pulled out of peace talks, further destabilizing the situation.
Ugandan Defense Minister Jacob Oboth told lawmakers on March 20 that President Kiir had formally requested military assistance 10 days ago to contain the unrest. “This intervention is necessary to prevent a security disaster in South Sudan,” Oboth said.
Uganda’s Move Come After Economic Crisis of South Sudan
The unrest comes at a time of serious economic hardship for South Sudan. The World Bank recently predicted a 30% contraction in the country’s economy in the 2024-25 fiscal year due to disruptions in oil production, which is estimated to result in a loss of about $7 million in export revenues per day.
Fears of renewed conflict following the country’s devastating civil war that lasted from 2013 to 2020 have raised concerns about wider regional instability, leading to some diplomatic evacuations.