South Sudan cancels 2018 peace deal, clearing way for December elections
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has amended the 2018 peace agreement, effectively dissolving the coalition government. This move aims to facilitate national elections in December 2026 by bypassing previous requirements for constitutional and census reforms.
Why it matters
The dissolution of the coalition government marks a significant shift in South Sudan's political landscape, raising questions about the stability and legitimacy of the upcoming electoral process.
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit signed an amendment to the 2018 peace agreement, effectively cancelling the coalition government that had brought relative peace to the country for seven years.
The move, however, clears the legal path for national elections scheduled for December 2026, by dodging crucial implementation pillars of the 2018 deal, which had included security reforms, census and a voters’ roll.
After he assented to the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), 2018, (Amendment 2026) on Wednesday, Kiir said that South Sudan was now ready for elections.
Previously, the conduct of elections was tied to the completion of the permanent constitution-making process and a national population census.
This will now allow electoral preparations to proceed under the Transitional Constitution and existing electoral laws without delay.
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