South Sudan's president signs amendment to peace agreement paving the way for December 2026 elections.
Organizing elections is no longer linked to finalizing the constitution.
Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:
The President of the Republic of South Sudan signed, Salva Kiir MayarditAn amendment to the revitalized peace agreement, in a move that is considered an important shift in the course of implementing the agreement, as it removes the legal obstacles that were hindering progress towards holding the general elections scheduled for December 2026.
Under the amendment, holding elections is no longer linked to completing the preparation of the permanent constitution or conducting the national population census, which legally paves the way for the electoral process, according to political observers in South Sudan.
The President’s signing was based on Article (8.4) of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict of 2018, along with Articles (57/d) and (101/n) of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan of 2011 and its amendments, after the amendment was approved by the Transitional National Legislature under Resolution No. (05/2026).
The amendment is one of the most important steps in implementing the peace agreement.
The amendment is one of the most important steps in implementing the peace agreement, as it separates the holding of elections from the completion of the process of preparing the permanent constitution and the population census, thus establishing a clearer legal and constitutional framework for managing the transitional phase and the democratic transition in the country.
With the signature of the President of the Republic, the amendment became an effective and binding law, providing the necessary legal basis for organizing free, fair and credible elections, in accordance with the constitution and laws regulating the electoral process in South Sudan.
An official statement explained that the executive authority, led by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, is preparing for the next phase of implementing the agreement, which includes aligning the amended transitional constitution with the new provisions, along with reviewing the national election law to ensure its full compliance with the constitutional and legal amendments.
The statement affirmed that the adoption of this amendment represents a strong push to complete the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, and reflects the government’s commitment to moving towards organizing peaceful, free and transparent elections, enabling the people of South Sudan to choose their leadership through the ballot box in December 2026.
