South Sudan will hold its long-delayed national elections on December 22, 2026, the National Election Commission (NEC) confirmed on Monday, after years of postponements and amid a worsening security situation. The announcement comes as international patience wears thin and fears grow of a return to full-scale conflict.
First Elections Since Independence
If they proceed, the polls will be the first since South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011. The elections were originally scheduled under the 2018 peace agreement that ended the civil war between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar, but have been repeatedly delayed—first from 2022 to 2024, and then to this year.
NEC chairperson Abednego Akok Kacuol confirmed the December 22 date but cautioned that key conditions of the peace deal are still not in place. “There are many challenges facing the commission,” he said, urging the government “to provide all basic needs.”
Funding and Security Shortfalls
The commission has received only $21 million of its proposed $250 million election budget, Kacuol revealed, raising serious doubts about the logistics of conducting a nationwide vote. He also highlighted that security remains a major problem, with government forces battling groups loosely aligned with Machar, who remains in jail.
International observers have warned that the fragile peace could collapse entirely, plunging the country back into civil war. Despite the 2018 accord, South Sudan remains mired in deep poverty, extreme corruption, and widespread violence.
Background of the Crisis
The 2018 peace agreement between Kiir and Machar largely collapsed, and the country has seen continued instability. The upcoming elections are seen as a critical step toward stability, but many doubt they can be held credibly under current conditions.
