Chairman Risch Statement on Appointment of a Special Envoy to South Sudan

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement after the Department of State announced the appointment of W. Stuart Symington IV as special envoy for South Sudan:

“Today’s announcement of a special envoy for South Sudan is a necessary and welcome step in U.S. efforts to assist the South Sudanese people in their pursuit of a peaceful transition to a more inclusive and democratic state,” said Risch. “I remain deeply concerned by continued human rights violations, grand corruption, and abuse of power, at the hands of the government led by President Salva Kiir, in particular. Amidst a stalled peace process, the South Sudanese are desperate for selfless leadership that puts all citizens first, and it is our hope that Mr. Symington will help them to achieve that.”

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