By Matik Kueth
South Sudan’s long-awaited inter-party dialogue on the December elections opened in Juba on Thursday, bringing political parties and key national stakeholders together for talks on how to steer the country towards the scheduled polls.
President Salva Kiir officially opened the two-week dialogue at the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly (NTLA), with representatives of political parties, civil society, faith-based organizations, regional and international bodies and other stakeholders attending.
Crafted under the theme: “Towards Peaceful, Inclusive, Transparent and Credible Elections,” it’s intended to provide a platform for political actors to discuss outstanding electoral and political issues ahead of the December 22 vote.
Speaking at the opening session, Kiir said the dialogue will provide an opportunity for political actors and stakeholders to work towards a peaceful and credible electoral process.
“Instead, its main purpose is for all of us to agree on a path to a peaceful and credible election. This inter-party dialogue must focus its value on election-related matters. It is an opportunity for all of us to create a clear roadmap for concluding the elections,” Kiir said.
He commended political parties and other stakeholders for their participation in the process.
“Therefore, I want to take this chance to thank all of the C5 leaders for the support they have given to us to conduct the upcoming elections,” he stated.
Tut Gatluak, Presidential Adviser on Security Affairs, stated that the dialogue will help create an environment in which political parties can engage on electoral issues while preserving peace and stability.
“The dialogue must allow our political parties and stakeholders to resolve their differences through peaceful engagement and to work together towards elections that preserve peace and stability,” Gatluak said.
Meanwhile, Martin Elia Lomuro, the caretaker Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Rapporteur of the Inter-Party Dialogue, noted that the process was rooted in the 2018 peace agreement, which tasked the transitional government with preparing the country for democratic elections.
“The Inter-Party Dialogue provides a platform for South Sudanese political participants and stakeholders to engage with one another, address standing issues, build consensus, and agree on political measures necessary for the country to proceed towards a peaceful, democratic, and credible election,” he stressed.
He underlined that the presence of political parties, stakeholders and international partners demonstrated the importance of political engagement as the country approaches the end of the transition.
“To all the parties, stakeholders, regional and international partners together here today, your presence demonstrates the importance of dialogue and peaceful political engagement as South Sudan approaches this important transition in its life,” he emphasized.
The dialogue comes as South Sudan moves towards elections scheduled for December 22, 2026, after years of delays under the transitional arrangements established by the 2018 peace agreement.
The parties agreed in September 2024 to extend the transitional period by two years to February 2027 while retaining December 2026 as the target for national elections.
The election timetable has since remained a major point of political debate.
The opening also follows recent changes to the electoral framework.
Kiir signed amendments to the National Elections Act earlier this week, removing previous legal requirements that had linked the holding of elections to completion of a permanent constitution and a national census.
The dialogue was initially scheduled for September 17th but was postponed to September 24th by the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs.
The ministry said political parties and representatives of regional and international organizations, civil society and faith-based groups had been informed of the new date.
The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC), in a statement on Tuesday, urged the parties to use the dialogue to build consensus, resolve outstanding political issues and develop an inclusive and practical pathway towards the elections and conclusion of the transitional period.
The discussions are expected to focus on electoral concerns and the political environment ahead of the December polls, as South Sudan seeks to move from its prolonged transitional arrangement towards an elected government.