JUBA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- A senior United Nations envoy has called on South Sudan's leadership to improve security in the country and work for faster progress on outstanding peace benchmarks.

Nicholas Haysom, special representative of the UN secretary-general for South Sudan and head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said the lack of urgency demonstrated by the parties since agreeing to extend the transitional period is evident, despite some positive developments.

"The time for action is now. The people of South Sudan deserve peace, stability, and a unified commitment to their safety," Haysom told a monthly plenary meeting of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

He said the critical milestone remains unaddressed, and clashes between parties to the agreement in Western Equatoria have clearly demonstrated the dangers posed by the lack of progress on the security arrangements.

The ongoing presence of two forces with separate chains of command in close proximity has led directly to violence, civilian casualties and displacement, Haysom said, adding that recent clashes in Nasir came after persistent calls from the community that South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) troops in the area be replaced by Necessary Unified Forces (NUF), which is composed of a unified national army, police, and other security forces.

"These events underscore, once again, the urgent need to deploy the NUF and show that the presence of a unified force is a priority for the civilians living in fragile areas," he said.

Since its outbreak in April 2023, nearly 1.1 million people have fled the conflict in Sudan and arrived in neighboring South Sudan, according to the UN. An estimated 6.1 million South Sudanese are at risk of experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity or above between December 2024 and March 2025.

Haysom said this number is projected to increase from April to July during the lean season.

"The solution to food insecurity is to provide security assurances to farmers so that they can utilize the fertile land, the water and the sun that South Sudan is blessed with," he said.

With a new extension of the transition period beginning on Saturday, Haysom called on the leadership across the board to act decisively to ensure South Sudan does not find itself in the same position at the end of 2026 as it is today.

"Critical political decisions must be made without further delay, and decision-making... does not cost money while adequate funding must be disbursed immediately to enable unification of the forces, electoral and constitution-making bodies to spring into action," he said.

Haysom urged regional and international partners to continue speaking with one voice and be ready to support the government of South Sudan in fulfilling its promises to its people and completing its transition. Enditem

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