South Sudan calls for international support for 2023 elections

JUBA – South Sudan government has called for the international community to support the upcoming elections slated for 2023 at the end of the transitional period, just week after a US Senator called for President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny to step down.

Last week, United States Senator Patrick Leahly called for President Kiir and opposition leader Machar to both step down to end power struggle, urging Troika to stand for alternative political actors in the country sparking fury in among South Sudan elites.

In respond, the presidency spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said the revitalized transitional government in Juba has put in place plans and activities for elections that only require the international community’s support.

“We take the challenge stated by Senator [Patrick Leahly] that President Kiir and Vice President Machar should set a date for national and parliamentary elections, in accordance with the R-ARCSS [Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan] as an opportunity to announce the following to the public our allies and the international community”, said Ateny.

He appealed to parties to the peace deal and development partners to work together in support of the electoral process and timely hold elections as stipulated in the September 2018 peace accord.

The presidential spokesperson further called upon the United Nations and African Union to assist with the process of holding free, fair, and peaceful elections using the recent hybrid census-based constituency model used to conduct elections held in March 2010.

Further calls were also made to the parties to the peace agreement to expedite the establishment of the unified forces by July 9, 2022 and speed up the ongoing permanent constitution-making process.

Ateny also appealed to all political parties to register with the Political Parties Council and organize their conventions by January 9, 2023.