S.Sudan Pledges to Conduct Long-Overdue Elections in December
Last update: April 21, 2026
Disclaimer: This website may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. We only recommend products or services that we personally use and believe will add value to our readers. Your support is appreciated!
Officials promise first national vote since independence as conflict fears grow.
South Sudan will hold elections in December, the information minister said Tuesday, after years of delays and amid warnings the country is nearing renewed civil war.
International observers say fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and groups loosely aligned with Vice President Riek Machar risks escalating into full conflict.
A 2018 peace deal ended their last civil war, but it has largely unraveled, with Machar now on trial and under house arrest.
Elections initially scheduled for 2022 were postponed to 2024 and then again to this year.
Information Minister Ateny Wek Ateny said the vote must take place by the end of 2026 with no further delays.
It would mark the country’s first national election since independence in 2011.
South Sudan continues to face deep poverty and corruption, while key parts of the peace agreement, including the unification of rival forces, remain unfulfilled.
Authorities say there is relative calm, though violence persists in parts of Jonglei state, displacing tens of thousands and hindering aid efforts.
At the United Nations, US official Jennifer Locetta criticized the lack of progress, saying the country’s crisis stems not from a shortage of agreements but from a failure to implement them.
