A/HRC/S-26/2 I. Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council at its twenty-sixth special session S-26/1. Situation of human rights in South Sudan The Human Rights Council, Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, Guided also by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoplesʼ Rights and relevant human rights treaties, Emphasizing that States have the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights, Recalling Human Rights Council resolution 31/20 of 23 March 2016, in which the Council established the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, and all other previous Human Rights Council and Security Council resolutions and President’s statements on South Sudan, Recalling also all relevant decisions and communiqués of the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Acknowledging that the Government of South Sudan has committed to cooperating with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations special procedures, and the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan in the fulfilment of its mandate, Deeply concerned by the allegations of human rights violations and abuses in the reports of the Secretary-General on South Sudan, the reports of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, the interim report of the Panel of Experts on South Sudan 1 and the reports of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2 Deeply alarmed by the statement of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan of 1 December 2016 that there is already a steady process of ethnic cleansing under way in several areas of South Sudan using starvation, gang rape and the burning of villages, and deeply alarmed also by the statement of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide of 11 November 2016 that there is a strong risk of violence escalating along ethnic lines, with the potential for genocide, in South Sudan, Concerned by ethnically motivated incitement to hatred and violence by all sides, reports of targeting of civilians based on ethnicity, and sexual and gender-based violence becoming increasingly widespread, Deeply alarmed at the escalation of violence in the former State of Central Equatoria, which has resulted in increased flows of refugees into neighbouring countries, Deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in South Sudan, which is marked by increasing fragility in the political, security and economic spheres, amid a deepening humanitarian crisis and atrocities committed since the outbreak of violence in December 2013, acute food insecurity, producing mass displacements within South Sudan and outside the country, access restrictions and other impediments to humanitarian assistance, while commending humanitarian agencies for their continued assistance to the affected populations, and urging all actors concerned to cooperate fully with humanitarian agencies, 1 2 2 See S/2016/963. A/HRC/31/49 and A/HRC/31/CRP.6.