President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan has emphasized the importance of the ongoing Inter-Party Dialogue in ensuring peaceful and credible general elections. Speaking at the launch of the dialogue on Thursday, Kiir stated that the primary objective should be to establish a common pathway toward peaceful and credible elections. He stressed that the dialogue should not become a platform for renegotiating or changing the agreed direction of the electoral process.
The Inter-Party Dialogue, which began in September 2026, aims to address concerns surrounding the upcoming elections and ensure a peaceful electoral process. President Kiir thanked regional and international leaders for their support, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Kenyan President William Ruto. He also acknowledged the support of South Sudanese religious leaders, civil society organizations, and citizens.
Hon. Albino Akol Atak, Deputy Rapporteur of the Inter-Party Dialogue, stated that the process is intended to address concerns and help ensure a peaceful electoral process. Akol said that political parties and stakeholders would have an opportunity to raise concerns, discuss potential obstacles, and seek clarity on issues that could contribute to violence during the electoral process.
The Inter-Party Dialogue has established technical working groups to examine key areas, including security, political issues, stakeholder participation, and election readiness. According to Akol, these groups will consider the views of civil society, feminist groups, and other stakeholders. The dialogue is expected to focus on security, political participation, stakeholder inclusion, and election preparedness.
With less than three months remaining before the scheduled election date in December 2026, the steering body currently expects the dialogue to take approximately two weeks. However, the duration could change depending on the discussions. Akol emphasized that the technical working groups had already identified issues expected to guide the discussions and were not determining the outcome in advance.
The Inter-Party Dialogue is open to both signatories and non-signatories to the relevant agreements, as well as other stakeholders willing to participate. Akol stated that the process was designed to accommodate differing political views rather than bring together only those who already agree. He acknowledged that participants may continue to hold different positions, saying the purpose of the dialogue is to identify and reconcile those differences.
The opposition SPLM-IO has publicly rejected the dialogue, while other political actors and civil society groups have raised concerns about the conditions surrounding the December polls. Despite these concerns, President Kiir urged participants to remain focused on election-related matters, stating that they would celebrate respectfully and never overstep their mandate.
Key points
- President Salva Kiir Mayardit has called for an inter-party dialogue to establish a clear pathway toward peaceful and credible general elections in South Sudan.
- The Inter-Party Dialogue aims to address concerns surrounding the upcoming elections and ensure a peaceful electoral process.
- The dialogue has established technical working groups to examine key areas, including security, political issues, stakeholder participation, and election readiness.
