South Sudan postpones elections by two years due to insufficient preparation

On September 14, 2024, news from Juba. The South Sudanese government postponed the elections originally scheduled for December by two years to December 22, 2026 on the grounds that procedures such as completing a census, drafting a permanent constitution and registering political parties need to be completed. This is the second time the country has postponed elections and extended the transition period that began in February 2020.

President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar signed a peace agreement in 2018 to end the civil war. Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro said the postponement was made on the advice of electoral bodies and security agencies. The chairman of the National Electoral Commission previously said the country is behind the electoral schedule and voter registration has not been carried out due to lack of funds. South Sudan is experiencing an economic crisis, oil exports are affected, and civil servants have not received salaries for nearly a year. The "Tumaini Initiative" peace talks have also stalled, and the new security bill has raised concerns among human rights organizations.

Independent political ***yst Andrea Mach Mabior warned that elections that do not meet international standards will waste money, while Edmund Yakani, executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, believes that the delay of elections or the extension of the transition period may increase the possibility of violence in the country. The "2024 United Nations South Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview" shows that the country has experienced the impact of civil war and climate change. In 2024, it is estimated that 9 million people will need humanitarian assistance, accounting for 73% of the country's population.