IGAD Urges South Sudan Parties to Agree on Election Roadmap

The regional bloc IGAD has urged South Sudans government and other parties to the countrys peace agreement to engage in inclusive dialogue and agree on a pathway towards general elections scheduled for December. In a communiqué issued on Tuesday after a meeting of its Council of Ministers in Djibouti, IGAD said dialogue is needed to restore confidence among the parties and establish a consensual pathway to the elections. It reaffirmed the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) as the framework for the countrys peace process and said the elections should remain anchored in the agreement that established the current transitional government. The call comes as parliament considers proposed changes to the countrys electoral law that could significantly alter the power-sharing arrangements ahead of the vote. The National Elections Act Amendment Bill, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, proposes that the incumbent president remain in office with full constitutional powers during the election period, while the first vice-president and other vice-presidents would leave office three months before polling day. Communiqué of the 74th Extraordinary Session of the IGAD Council of Ministers Read more: https://t.co/nUPAz3IPhj pic.twitter.com/M8R3XYWDBp The proposal would affect the power-sharing presidency established under the 2018 peace agreement, which created the positions of president, first vice-president and four other vice-presidents. Dr. Riek Machar, who was suspended from his position as first vice-president, remains under house arrest and is on trial on treason charges. He is a principal signatory to the 2018 peace agreement. The bill has been referred to a parliamentary committee for further scrutiny and has not yet become law. The proposed changes come as South Sudan prepares for elections scheduled for 22 December 2026, after years of delays in implementing the 2018 peace agreement. IGADs Council of Ministers directed its Ministerial Sub-Committee on South Sudan to intensify engagement with the government and other stakeholders and report back to the council. The regional bloc said it remains ready to support efforts towards the elections. South Sudans Foreign Minister James Pitia Morgan attended the 74th Extraordinary Session of the IGAD Council of Ministers, held on 15 September in Djibouti. IGAD also called for sustainable and predictable funding for the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) and the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM). The two bodies monitor the implementation of key provisions of the 2018 peace agreement, including the ceasefire and transitional security arrangements. IGAD has played a central role in South Sudans peace process and is a principal guarantor of the 2018 peace agreement.