South Sudan's UN envoy Cecilia Adeng addressed the UN General Assembly (the annual gathering of world leaders and diplomats at United Nations headquarters in New York) on 28 September, urging the international community to lift sanctions imposed on the country. Adeng argued that sanctions should serve defined political goals rather than substitute for diplomatic engagement, and said South Sudan (a landlocked nation in East-Central Africa that gained independence in 2011) has moved away from armed conflict toward democratic governance. The appeal signals Juba's push to shed long-standing international restrictions as it seeks greater legitimacy on the world stage.