Ramaphosa tips South Sudan leaders on free, credible elections

JUBA – South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa concluded his visit to South Sudan by urging the country’s leaders to deliver free and credible elections.

While briefing the media, Ramaphosa lauded the principals and parties to peace deal for their ‘frank’ and ‘comprehensive’ briefing on the 2018 accord.

“The people of South Sudan are eagerly waiting for the general elections which will bring an end to the transitional period,” South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation minister, Grace Naledi Pandor said in a statement.

According to the South African leader, the December 2024 elections will be watershed moment in the world’s youngest nation’s transition to democracy.

Currently, however, the parties to the September 2018 peace deal are engaged in a dialogue to agree on the way forward for the general elections.

“Lasting peace, stability and development will depend on how the collective leadership navigates the challenges ahead,” further noted the statement.

The South African leader called on South Sudanese leaders to address the outstanding provisions of the peace deal, such as adoption of the constitution.

“Progress in the implementation of the provisions of the agreement is laudable. but it is clear more work is still outstanding,” he further noted in the statement.

Ramaphosa reiterated his commitment to support South Sudanese as they go through the transitional period, pledging that they will provide every support possible to ensure a democratic and peaceful end to the transitional period.

“It has been five years since that peace agreement was signed. The ceasefire agreement is holding and threats to the country’s peace and stability have been reduced,” he stressed.

Ramaphosa said he believes the security situation in South Sudan would improve with the establishment of unified security forces across the country.

He welcomed the reconstitution of the National Elections Commission (NEC), the Political Parties Council and the National Constitution Review Commission.

South Sudan’s Foreign Affairs minister, James Pitia Morgan assured the South African leader of the country’s readiness for elections at the end of the year.

“So, this is the time that the country has been declared as a country that is going to go for elections at the end of the year 2024,” he explained.

Morgan stressed that the African Union (AU) calendar shows that 15 countries on the continent, including the South Africa, will conduct elections this year.

He said South Africa and South Sudan share a history of fighting for freedom.

“Now that we have achieved our freedom and this freedom is for the people, it is the people to exercise this freedom through elections,” stressed Morgan.