U.S to support South Sudan in holding credible democratic elections

JUBA – The Embassy of the United States in Juba on Thursday pledged to support South Sudan in creating conditions necessary for holding free, fair, and credible democratic elections.

Speaking during a press conference in Juba on Thursday, outgoing U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, David Renz, reaffirmed his country’s willingness to support the country’s leadership in creating a conducive environment for forthcoming general elections.

“The policy of the United States remain to support the implementation of the peace agreement and to help support South Sudan in creating conditions necessary for holding free, fair and credible democratic elections,” David told reporters at Thursday’s press conference on Thursday.

David said the U.S will help government establish independent National Electoral Commission to conduct free and fair elections in war-torn country.

“Is not about ballot boxes and voting, it is about civil space, is about constitution process, it is about credible and independent National Electoral Commission and I know technically, there is one there,” said David.

“We are invigorating that (National Electoral Commission) funding it and getting the offices at state levels are established funded and staffed with credible people.”

According to the timetable agreed in the September 2018 deal, South Sudan is supposed to go to polls in 2023 after the implementation of key provisions of the 2018 agreement that ended a five-year-old political violence.

Those provisions include the unification of formerly warring forces, repatriation of refugees and displaced people, a population census, and the drafting of a permanent constitution of the East African country.

Another of these provisions is for a revision of the 2012 Political Parties Act which would be followed by its approval in parliament to enable the free and democratic registration of political parties.

“It is about political parties council which need to be established and another bill has just been passed and it has been interesting back and forth and they have been talking about registration (of political parties) going for 10 months unto February,” top U.S diplomat said.