RJMEC Urges Dialogue for South Sudan Election Disputes

South Sudan’s peace monitoring body has urged parties to the country’s 2018 peace agreement to use an inter-party dialogue this week to build consensus on elections and resolve outstanding political issues, as the country prepares for a December vote. The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) said the dialogue, scheduled to begin on Thursday, should produce an inclusive and practical path towards elections and the conclusion of the transitional period. “The current phase requires all Parties to remain committed to the Agreement,” RJMEC said in a statement on Tuesday, referring to the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). The dialogue was originally scheduled for Sept. 17 but was postponed to Sept. 24 by the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs. No reason was given for the postponement. The talks come as political disagreements deepen over the conduct and legal framework for elections scheduled for Dec. 22. President Salva Kiir signed amendments to the National Elections Act into law on Monday, removing requirements that had linked the holding of elections to completion of a permanent constitution and a national census. The changes have been rejected by the main opposition coalition. RJMEC said the parties should use the dialogue to address outstanding issues and restore confidence in the political process. The call echoes a decision by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) at its 74th extraordinary session last week, when the regional bloc reaffirmed the 2018 peace agreement as the framework for peace in South Sudan and called for inclusive dialogue to establish a consensual path towards the December elections. The dialogue is expected to address a range of election-related issues, including political representation, constituency boundaries, campaign and election financing, security for candidates and rallies, political freedoms, voter registration, election observation and mechanisms for resolving electoral disputes. But some opposition groups have questioned the format of the talks. RJMEC also urged the parties to complete outstanding provisions of the peace agreement, including security arrangements, judicial reforms, permanent constitution-making, economic reforms and transitional justice. The commission said the parties had agreed in September 2024 to extend the transitional period by two years to February 2027 and to hold elections in December 2026. The elections are intended to end a transition established under the 2018 peace agreement, but preparations have been complicated by delays in implementing key provisions of the deal and continuing political and security tensions. RJMECs latest assessment said the peace process remained under significant strain and that a political and security impasse had weakened trust among the parties. With three months remaining before the scheduled vote, RJMEC urged the parties to use the dialogue and other mechanisms under the peace agreement to resolve outstanding differences. South Sudan has never held a nationwide election since gaining independence in 2011.