South Sudan Postpones National Election Amid Peace Process Challenges

South Sudan's government has postponed the national election to December 2026, citing the need for more time to complete essential tasks. This decision highlights challenges in the country's peace process, which has been fragile since a 2018 agreement ended a five-year conflict.

South Sudan's government has decided to delay the long-awaited national election until December 2026, the presidency announced on Friday, emphasizing the ongoing difficulties in the nation's peace process.

Under the leadership of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the presidency has extended the transitional period by two years and rescheduled the elections, originally planned for December 2024, to December 22, 2026. This decision was shared through a Facebook post from Kiir's office. Although a 2018 peace agreement ended a devastating five-year conflict, intercommunal violence persists.

The postponed election would have chosen new leaders to replace the current transitional government, which includes President Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, former civil war adversaries. Kiir's office stated that more time is necessary to complete critical preparations before the election deadline.

(With inputs from agencies.)