President Kiir Assures AU C5 Of Juba’s Preparedness For December Polls

President Salva Kiir Mayardit says South Sudan is well-positioned to hold its first post-independence general elections, citing concrete steps taken to ensure a peaceful and successful electoral process. The President made the remarks during a virtual meeting with the African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee on South Sudan, known as the C5, representatives of C5 member states, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, IGAD, to assess the country’s preparedness for the December 2026 elections. President Kiir said key measures include putting in place a legal framework aimed at facilitating the successful conduct of the elections. The meeting was chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who called on South Sudan’s leaders to use the opportunity to overcome their differences and address the challenges facing the country. President Ramaphosa urged the leaders to work together to find solutions to the challenges hindering South Sudan’s progress as a nation. President Kiir thanked the C5 member states—South Africa, Algeria, Chad, Nigeria and Rwanda—for their continued support towards the conduct of the elections.