AU, IGAD Push South Sudan on Election Preparations

(JUBA) – The African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee on South Sudan, known as the C5, and leaders from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, IGAD, have called on South Sudan to accelerate the remaining steps necessary for the conduct of the December 2026 general elections.

The appeal was made during a virtual meeting on Tuesday that brought together representatives of the African Union C5 member states and IGAD countries to review South Sudan’s readiness for the planned polls.

According to a news release published on the official Presidential Website, the regional leaders stressed the need for South Sudan’s political leadership to fast-track key electoral processes to ensure credible, peaceful and inclusive elections.

The meeting also assessed progress made on previous commitments and reviewed the country’s current political and security situation ahead of the elections.

South Sudan is expected to hold its first post-independence general elections in December 2026, a milestone widely seen as crucial to the country’s democratic transition.

The African Union and IGAD say continued cooperation among political stakeholders will be essential to creating conditions for a successful electoral process.