Yakani meets Vice-President Hussein over would-be elections

JUBA – South Sudan’s civil society activist Edmund Yakani met with Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi on Friday to discuss preparations for the country’s planned elections at the end of 2024.

Yakani, who also heads the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has been holding talks with vice presidents and President Salva Kiir Mayardit in recent days about the upcoming elections.

In a statement following his meeting with Hussein, Yakani emphasized the importance of holding elections and said the vice president agreed on the need for political will from all parties to ensure a successful electoral process.

“Today I met with His Excellency Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, Vice President and Chair of the Services Cluster, to discuss the country’s readiness for the upcoming December 2024 elections,” Yakani said in the statement extended to Sudans Post.

“The meeting was productive, and we both agreed that elections are crucial for ending the transitional period. However, they must be conducted in an inclusive and conducive environment to guarantee free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections,” he added.

Yakani stressed the need for “urgent political commitment” to fulfill the preconditions for holding the elections.

“Key preconditions include the unification of armed forces, completion of the constitution-making process, securing adequate national funding, and ensuring unrestricted political and civic space,” he said.