U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan, Michael J. Adler. |File photo|.
The government’s decision to extend the transitional period and postpone elections received mixed reactions from the netizens and diplomatic missions serving the country.
United States embassy in Juba said the announcement of another extension of the transitional period marks the failure of South Sudan’s leaders to create the conditions necessary to hold genuine, peaceful, and inclusive elections.
“We are deeply disappointed by this failure, because peace is our priority, and we are convinced that the best way to secure peace in South Sudan is by creating the conditions to hold such elections,” US Ambassador Michael J. Adler said in a statement extended to Golden Times on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.
Despite significant international support, including the identification of 10 key issues for decision related to elections by the UN, AU, and IGAD, South Sudan’s political leaders have collectively failed to create the conditions necessary for such elections to take place, the US government said.
“They have [South Sudan’s leaders] failed to make adequate public revenue available for electoral institutions, for security sector and civil service salaries, for basic services, or to mitigate the impact of the humanitarian crisis,” the letter partly read.
“Our question then must be, what is the priority of South Sudan’s leaders? We renew our call on them to demonstrate that their priority is their country and their people’s well-being,” it added.
For while we recognize, Adler said, elections cannot be held this year because of leadership failures, we cannot in good conscience endorse this extension because we are not prepared to endorse a status quo that prioritizes the privileges of the elite over the welfare of the South Sudanese people; therefore, we abstain today.
“Two years ago, after I abstained on the last RJMEC vote to endorse an extension of the transitional government, I told South Sudanese leaders I did so because we did not see any basis to believe that the 2022 extension would be different from the previous extensions, in which they had also failed to prepare for elections. I said that if they acted with urgency to demonstrate the political will to make the 2022 extension different, I would welcome the opportunity to say that our analysis was wrong and that they had found the political will to take the steps necessary to deliver the better future the South Sudanese people deserve. Unfortunately, we have seen nothing over the past two years that would justify my saying this,” Adler asserted.
“It is the continued obligation of the transitional government to act with urgency to create the conditions necessary for genuine and peaceful elections, including expanded political and civic space, politically neutral security forces, funded and operationalized electoral institutions, and leaders’ public commitment to dialogue and rejection of violence as a tool for political competition.”
He said all South Sudanese political leaders should take advantage of every available opportunity to advance an inclusive and lasting peace, including through talks in Nairobi and through leadership-level dialogue in Juba.
He also stressed that the U.S. relationship with the people of South Sudan is based on values, including peace, democracy, human rights, and a government responsive to its people’s needs, particularly with respect to transparent and appropriate use of public revenue.
“The nature of our relationship with the transitional government or any future government in South Sudan will reflect its commitment to these values. We renew our call on South Sudan’s leaders to demonstrate this commitment without further delay. As put by my distinguished colleagues from IGAD and the United Nations, South Sudan’s leaders must act with urgency to end the perpetual cycle of continuous transition in South Sudan,” he concluded.
