The United States has accused South Sudan leadership of failing to ensure conditions conducive to hold election in December 2024.
In a statement following the second extension of the elections, US Ambassador Michael Adler on Wednesday said they were disappointed that the elections won’t be held despite the “significant international support”.
“We are deeply disappointed by this failure, because peace is our priority, and we are convinced that the best way to secure peace in South Sudan is by creating the conditions to hold such elections,” Amb Adler said.
Among the support by international partners that he cited includes the identification of 10 key issues for decision related to elections by the UN, AU, and IGAD.
These included a new permanent constitutional framework; properly trained and equipped unified forces deployed; an operational election security plan formulated; a clear electoral framework agreed upon; electoral institutions and mechanisms in place; and voter registration modalities and electoral dispute resolution mechanisms agreed through consensus.
He accused the transitional government led by President Salva Kiir of failing to make adequate public revenue available for electoral institutions, for security sector and civil service salaries, for basic services, or to mitigate the impact of humanitarian crisis.
“Our question then must be what is the priority of South Sudan’s leaders?” he posed.
Last week, South Sudan’s parties to the 2018 peace agreement extended the transitional period by another two years during a meeting between President Kiir and his deputies, cabinets members and advisers in Juba on Friday. The extension is from February 22, 2025 to February 22, 2027.
Cabinet Affairs minister Martin Lomuro said the extension offers an opportunity to implement the remaining key provisions in the peace agreement.
“The extension is in response to the recommendations from the electoral institutions and the security sector. It is an opportunity to implement the pending issues in the peace deal,” Lomuro said.
RJMEC ENDORSES TRANSITION
On Wednesday, the peace deal monitor Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) held its third Extraordinary meeting in Juba and endorsed the extension of the transition.
Article 8.4 of the Revitalised Agreement requires that at least two-thirds of the members consent to an extension of the Agreement, which is 29 of the total 43 members. 34 voted in favour of the extension.
However, RJMEC Chairperson Amb. Maj. Gen (Rtd) Charles Gituai said any extension, without guaranteed funding, is not likely to result in a successful outcome.
He decried that RJMEC has repeatedly expressed concerns over the slow pace and limited progress in completing the critical requirements for elections, and the lack of sufficient funding for the implementation of the peace deal.
The RJMEC vote now requires ratification by the Transitional National Legislature, according to the constitutional amendment procedures set out in the Transitional Constitution of the Republic South Sudan, 2011 (as amended).
Amb Gituai will submit the decision and the accompanying resolution to the Council of Ministers to be forwarded to the Transitional National Legislative Assembly for ratification and amendment of the Transitional Constitution.
For the US, for while they recognize elections cannot be held this year because of leadership failures, Amb Adler said they cannot endorse the extension because “we are not prepared to endorse a status quo that prioritizes the privileges of the elite over the welfare of the South Sudanese people”, and thus abstained.
He called on all South Sudanese political leaders to take advantage of every available opportunity to advance an inclusive and lasting peace, including through talks in Nairobi and through leadership-level dialogue in Juba.
“The U.S. relationship with the people of South Sudan is based on values, including peace, democracy, human rights, and a government responsive to its people’s needs, particularly with respect to transparent and appropriate use of public revenue,” the envoy said, adding that South Sudan’s leaders must the perpetual cycle of continuous transition in the country.
