The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has called on the government in Juba to urgently fulfill key provisions of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement to ensure that the country is ready for general elections in December 2026.
Speaking before the UN Security Council, UNMISS Head Nicholas Haysom stressed that critical processes such as constitution-making and a national census remain off track due to lack of government funding and delays in legal and political decisions.
South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, has never held elections. Initially scheduled for December 2024, the vote was postponed by two years following concerns that the country was unprepared.
Haysom warned that the international community is unlikely to provide financial support for implementing the peace agreement and elections unless there is clear political will to accelerate key reforms.
While acknowledging some progress, such as commitments to expand political space, improve access to justice, and advance election security training, he stated that these steps are not enough to ensure elections take place as planned.
He further cautioned that South Sudan’s ongoing humanitarian, economic, and security challenges could destabilize the country as the electoral period approaches.