With less than a year remaining before South Sudan’s planned elections, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) says the country is still far from meeting the minimum conditions required for a credible vote.
The warning is contained in RJMEC’s quarterly report covering the period from October 1 to December 31, 2025, which highlights a deteriorating security environment, mounting humanitarian needs and deepening political tensions that the body says risk derailing the 2018 peace agreement.
In its latest report of the 2018 peace agreement, RJMEC identifies stalled security, legal and political reforms as the main factors casting doubt on the feasibility of the polls.
Chief among these is the failure to unify the necessary forces, a process seen as critical to ensuring a secure and neutral environment for campaigning and voting.
The report also points to delays in judicial and constitutional reforms, warning that weak legal institutions undermine public confidence in the electoral process and limit the ability to resolve disputes peacefully.
Without an independent and functional judiciary, RJMEC notes, elections risk becoming a source of conflict rather than stability.
Concerns have also been raised over the National Elections Commission’s decision to rely on constituency boundaries drawn in 2010.
According to RJMEC, the use of outdated boundaries has prompted objections from opposition parties and civil society groups, who argue that the move could compromise fairness and representation.
Beyond technical preparations, the report highlights shrinking political and civic space as a major obstacle.
RJMEC says the dismissal of opposition officials, restrictions on political activity and continued detention of political actors contradict the spirit of the peace agreement and threaten inclusive participation.
To address these challenges, the body urges the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity to take immediate corrective action.
Its recommendations include reinstating dismissed opposition officials, guaranteeing freedoms of expression, assembly and association, and providing sufficient funding to electoral and constitution-making institutions.
RJMEC further calls on regional and international partners including IGAD, the African Union and the United Nations to intensify diplomatic engagement, help break the political deadlock and support inclusive national dialogue.
“The South Sudan peace process stands at a critical crossroads,” RJMEC warns, stressing that without decisive and coordinated action, the country risks sliding back into instability and jeopardising the gains achieved since the signing of the peace agreement.
RJMEC is an independent oversight body established under the 2018 Revitalised Agreement to monitor, verify and report on the implementation of the peace deal.
