South Sudan Elections Face Uncertainty amid Conflict and Delays

By Al Mayadeen English

7 Aug 2026 20:46

UN officials warn that South Sudan’s 2026 elections face major challenges as violence, displacement, and delays threaten a peaceful political transition.

As South Sudan's first elections in December 2026 near, the UN secretary-general’s special representative and head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, Anita Kiki Gbeho, stated that conditions for peaceful and inclusive polls remain uncertain. 

“While elections represent an important transition milestone, concerns are growing about whether conditions necessary for credible, peaceful and inclusive elections can be established in time,” Gbeho said.

She raised concerns on Thursday over the continued clashes between government forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition, stating that civilians continue to suffer from loss of livelihoods and displacement. 

Over 420,000 people were displaced by violence between January and June, while South Sudan is already hosting roughly 1.4 million people who escaped the war in neighboring Sudan. 

Gbeho urged South Sudan's leadership and the international community to make a primary effort in ending the war, protecting civilians and humanitarian workers, and guaranteeing access to aid. 

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has remained firm on the fact that elections will be held as scheduled on December 22, 2026.

Juba remains far behind in election preparations

The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) told the 15-member UN Security Council on Thursday that South Sudan is falling far behind schedule in its preparations for the upcoming elections. 

“Critical prerequisites for the conduct of credible, peaceful and inclusive elections remain unmet,” RJMEC Chairperson George Aggrey Owinow said, pressing on South Sudan’s leaders to build political consensus through “inclusive and genuine dialogue.”

The commission stated that urgent decisions had to be made on unresolved legal and political questions, the completion of the unification of forces, amnesty for civic and political space, reasonable funding for electoral bodies, and improving security in conflict-affected areas, while also making an effort towards the displacement of civilians.

RJMEC further stated that the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement was “significantly constrained” by a political and security impasse that has persisted since March 2025.

It further criticized amendments made to the peace agreement that removed the permanent constitution and national census and necessary conditions for elections, stating that these changes were made without considering the procedures required under the accord. 

RJMEC noted that worsening humanitarian conditions, including displacement, food insecurity and restricted humanitarian access, were limiting the involvement of women, young people and people with disabilities in political and civic processes. Women’s representation in South Sudan continued to dip below the 35% quota required under the peace agreement.