Election talks stalled by separate Nairobi process, U.N. envoy says

JUBA – The U.N. envoy to South Sudan said on Thursday that talks between rival parties aimed at resolving issues ahead of December’s elections have stalled due to a separate peace process underway in Nairobi.

Nicholas Haysom, the head of the U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), told a monthly R-JMEC meeting in Juba on Thursday that the inter-party dialogue launched last month “appears to have stalled and given way to the ongoing Tumaini Initiative in Nairobi.”

“While I am encouraged that the Tumaini Initiative has brought into being the Declaration of Commitment signed on 16 May, with seven months remaining before elections, it is critical that the parties find a working formula that gives required attention and impetus to both processes,” Haysom added.

South Sudan’s transitional period, set up by a 2018 peace deal, is due to end in February 2025 with elections planned for December this year.

Political parties began the dialogue last month to find common ground on how to complete tasks needed for a credible vote.

This is because there are disagreements between the parties as to if elections should be conducted.

While President Salva Kiir wants elections to take place, other main signatories of the agreement such as Riek Machar of the SPLM-IO wants at least another two-year extension to enable for implementation of pending tasks.

These tasks include and not limited to writing of the country’s permanent constitution, population census and training and unification of the rival forces.

There is a separate peace initiative taking place in Nairobi between the government and non-signatory opposition groups to the revitalized peace agreement.