Long uncertain, the election could finally take place in December. After several postponements, the authorities assure they are ready. This announcement was made by the Minister of Communication in a particularly tense atmosphere.
On the ground, President Salva Kiir's forces are clashing with groups close to the opposition led by Vice President Riek Machar.
A peace agreement signed in 2018 had ended the civil war. But today, this agreement is fragile, and Riek Machar remains under house arrest.
If they take place, these elections would be the first since the country's independence in 2011.
South Sudan remains mired in a deep crisis, marked by extreme poverty and widespread corruption. Several key commitments of the peace agreement, such as the unification of the armed forces, have still not been fulfilled. Elections were initially scheduled for 2022, but were postponed to 2024, and then to this year.
The government speaks of a "relative peace," despite persistent violence, particularly in Jonglei State. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced, and humanitarian organizations are struggling to intervene.
Faced with this situation, the international community is sounding the alarm. At the UN, an American official denounces a lack of political will: the agreements exist, but are not being implemented.
