JUBA, South Sudan
The European Union (EU) Thursday announced assistance to South Sudan with 3 million euros for the general elections slated to take place in December 2024.
The funds will be managed by
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to back electoral processes.
The project will support the National Elections Commission (NEC), Political
Parties Council (PPC), judiciary, media, and the police in their electoral-related
roles.
Addressing journalists at a
press conference held at the premises of the EU Delegation in Juba on Thursday,
EU Ambassador to South Sudan Timo Olkonen said the project will help South
Sudan establish enabling legal frameworks for the conduct of free, fair,
credible elections.
“Free, fair, credible,
peaceful and inclusive elections are key elements of democracy and the rule of
law in the country. In South Sudan, elections are expected not only to mark the
end of the transition phase but elections also represent a wider opportunity to
move towards democracy, good governance and development,” said Timo.
“Elections can be an important
mechanism to consolidate peace, to give legitimacy in the eyes of the people to
elected institutions, to support reconciliation and to influence how democratic
politics can become sustainable with a vibrant and active civil society,” he
added.
Meanwhile, UNDP Deputy County
Representative Titus Osundina said the project will set the foundation
necessary to hold polls next year.
“Phase one of the
project will support an enabling environment for elections. Technically,
acceptable elections are, of course, important but the before the elections can
happen or take place, there are many enabling environment situations that we need
to put in place that will set the foundation for credible, inclusive, and
peaceful elections. The project is multifaceted. It will strengthen and support
the National Elections Commissions (NEC) and the Political Parties Council
(PPC) so they can play their role in administrating the elections,” said Titus.
For his part, Mr Yoannes Amum
Nyiker, Secretary General of the National Elections Commission, said: “We are
not going to conduct democratic elections but it is a conflict resolution
elections and peacebuilding and unity. So, in these areas, these are critical
areas for us to have fair and democratic elections in the young Republic of
South Sudan.”
South Sudan is governed by a
transitional government created after a 2018 peace agreement between President
Salva Kiir, opposition leader Riek Machar and other political figures.
General elections were due to
be conducted in February 2023, but the transitional government failed to meet
key clauses of the peace deal, including the drafting of a permanent constitution.
In August 2022, the parties to
the agreement extended their transitional government for two years beyond the
scheduled date, citing difficulties in implementing the peace agreement.
The parties, however, assured
the South Sudanese population and the international community that these
difficulties would be resolved before the elections, scheduled for December
2024.
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