![\"Joseph](\"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1977\/2026\/05\/dr-joseph-makuer-nyieth.jpg\")
\nBy Makuer Nyieth Panjaak, Juba Global News Network<\/strong> South Sudan today faces what the NPA describes as a multidimensional crisis encompassing political stagnation, economic collapse, security deterioration, and a catastrophic humanitarian emergency. The transitional government remains paralyzed by internal power struggles, with the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) stalled after six years of incomplete implementation and four extensions. The document paints a stark picture of a nation whose founding promise of 2011 has given way to what many now describe as the brink of complete state failure.<\/p>\n The economic indicators are particularly alarming. The South Sudanese Pound has lost over 70 percent of its value against the United States dollar in 2024 alone, driving hyperinflation that exceeds 60 percent annually. Staple food prices have doubled and tripled within months, pushing 92 percent of the population into extreme poverty. According to United Nations reports cited in the NPA document, two-thirds of all government spending is directed toward elite patronage networks, including the Oil for Roads Programme, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, while essential services like healthcare and education have collapsed entirely. Civil servants and soldiers have gone more than six months without salaries.<\/p>\n The humanitarian dimensions of the crisis are staggering. More than 7.7 million people \u2014 approximately two-thirds of the population \u2014 face acute food insecurity, with 28,000 individuals at risk of famine conditions. Over 2.3 million South Sudanese remain refugees in neighboring countries, while more than 1.2 million returnees have crossed from Sudan since the outbreak of conflict there in April 2023. Four consecutive years of severe flooding have displaced over one million people, destroying homes, crops, and livelihoods. The United Nations describes the humanitarian situation as “catastrophic,” with humanitarian partners appealing for .4 billion in 2024 to support refugee populations alone.<\/p>\n The NPA document provides a detailed accounting of the peace agreement implementation timeline, revealing a pattern of repeated delays and broken commitments. The R-ARCSS was signed on September 12, 2018, with an initial 36-month transitional period. After multiple extensions \u2014 first in May 2019, then August 2022, and most recently in September 2024 \u2014 the transition has now been extended to February 2027, marking what the document describes as “six years of unfulfilled promises.”<\/p>\n Key benchmarks remain critically unfulfilled. Security sector reform, widely regarded as the linchpin of the entire peace process, has stalled dramatically. Out of 83,000 personnel required for the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF), only eight battalions have been deployed, and Phase II training has not even commenced. The permanent constitution-making process has ground to a halt, with no meaningful progress on the civic education, public consultations, and ratification procedures that are essential prerequisites for credible elections. The Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing remains non-operational, and the Hybrid Court for South Sudan has not been established. The National Elections Commission is severely underfunded, voter registration has not started, and the Political Parties Council is not fully operational.<\/p>\n The NPA quotes extensively from authoritative sources to underscore the gravity of the situation. Major General Charles Tai Gituai, Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), noted in October 2024 that “many recurring challenges delayed implementation by six years, including insufficient political will, trust deficit, lack of sufficient funding, and capacity gaps.” Nicholas Haysom, the United Nations Special Representative and Head of UNMISS, has warned that “implementation of the revitalised agreement and its roadmap has, yet again, been relegated to the back burner while political interests play out at the national level.”<\/p>\n The security situation has deteriorated markedly, with the NPA document highlighting “heavy fighting in Nasir and other strategic locations” as evidence of a dangerous escalation. Clashes between the White Army militia and national forces have raised fears of renewed ethnic conflict reminiscent of the 2013-2018 civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, has stated that “developments in South Sudan have continued to move in a negative and possibly dangerous direction, with a marked increase in ceasefire violations, including widespread aerial bombardments and clashes among signatories to the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.”<\/p>\n Political repression has intensified alongside the security deterioration. In March 2025, President Salva Kiir security forces detained two ministers and several senior military figures loyal to First Vice President Riek Machar, in a move that the NPA describes as a direct threat to the unity government stability. Opposition figures have been systematically targeted, civic space has been shrinking, and the peace agreement itself hangs in the balance. Yasmin Sooka, the United Nations Human Rights Chair, has warned that “we are witnessing a troubling setback that could reverse years of hard-earned progress.”<\/p>\n The central question addressed by the NPA document is whether South Sudan is prepared to hold general elections, now rescheduled for December 2026 following the 24-month extension agreed upon in September 2024. The document notes that this represents the fourth extension since the signing of the R-ARCSS. While 71 percent of citizens believe South Sudan is ready for elections, internally displaced persons are three times more likely to say the country is not prepared. The risk of electoral violence is alarmingly high, with 57 percent of survey respondents assessing the risk of election-related violence as “very high” or “somehow high,” and 38 percent believing that elections could trigger a return to full-scale civil war.<\/p>\n The NPA identifies six non-negotiable preconditions that must be met before any credible elections can be held. First, the completion of a permanent constitution through inclusive civic education, public consultations, and ratification by a constituent assembly. Second, full implementation of transitional security arrangements, including the completion of unified forces training and deployment of all 83,000 NUF personnel. Third, the safe and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes. Fourth, the restoration and protection of political freedoms including freedom of expression, assembly, and association. Fifth, implementation of comprehensive national reconciliation and healing processes. Sixth, the establishment of fully independent, adequately funded electoral institutions.<\/p>\n The NPA is emphatic that these preconditions are not obstacles to elections but rather essential foundations for credible, peaceful, and legitimate democratic processes. Without them, the document argues, any election will be “a hollow exercise that risks plunging the country back into conflict rather than ushering in genuine democratic transformation.” The NPA flatly dismisses plans to hold general elections in December 2026, warning that the country remains far from ready and that rushing to the polls could undermine peace rather than advance democracy.<\/p>\n In a formal statement issued in December 2025, the NPA declared that “none of the conditions that necessitated the postponement of the 2024 elections have been meaningfully addressed. The same political, economic, social, and security crises persist across the country.” The Alliance reaffirms its unwavering commitment to democratic elections as the path to legitimate governance, but insists that elections must be free, fair, peaceful, and inclusive, reflecting the genuine will of the South Sudanese people rather than serving elite interests.<\/p>\n What the NPA rejects unequivocally is what it describes as a “rush to elections” that would legitimize the status quo without addressing fundamental issues. The Alliance warns against elections becoming a procedural checkbox exercise to rubber-stamp existing power structures, and rejects any process that excludes key stakeholders, including opposition parties and armed movements currently operating outside the country. Instead, the NPA urges the government to abandon the rush to elections and prioritize inclusive national dialogue, genuine reconciliation, and sustained engagement with all stakeholders.<\/p>\n Beyond its critique of the current trajectory, the NPA document presents a comprehensive vision for South Sudan democratic transition. At the heart of this vision is a call for inclusive national dialogue that engages all stakeholders \u2014 government, opposition parties, armed movements, civil society, women, youth, and traditional leaders \u2014 to address the root causes of conflict and build consensus on the way forward. The NPA emphasizes that genuine dialogue must go beyond elite-level negotiations to include ordinary citizens whose voices have been marginalized in political processes.<\/p>\n Reconciliation and healing are central to the NPA vision, with the document calling for comprehensive processes that acknowledge past atrocities, provide justice for victims, and create pathways for national healing and social cohesion. Institutional reforms are equally essential, including security sector reform, judicial independence, and robust anti-corruption measures to ensure that state institutions are transparent, accountable, and responsive to citizens needs.<\/p>\n Economically, the NPA advocates for a fundamental shift away from oil dependence toward a diversified economy that creates jobs, reduces poverty, and ensures sustainable development. This includes investment in agriculture and livestock, support for small and medium enterprises, and infrastructure development. The document envisions citizen-centric governance that delivers quality education and healthcare, access to clean water and sanitation, and protection of fundamental freedoms. The NPA vision, as articulated in the document, is not merely about holding elections but about “building a South Sudan that works for all its citizens.”<\/p>\n The international community has taken note of the NPA comprehensive analysis. Diplomatic sources in Juba indicate that the document has been circulated among key international stakeholders, including the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and the Troika nations (United States, United Kingdom, and Norway). The document emphasis on the non-negotiable preconditions for credible elections resonates with longstanding international positions that have emphasized the need for security sector reform and political inclusivity as prerequisites for democratic transition.<\/p>\n The United States, through its embassy in Juba, has consistently called for the full implementation of the peace agreement and warned against rushed electoral timelines that could undermine stability. The African Union Peace and Security Council, which recently concluded a field mission to Juba, has emphasized the importance of creating conditions conducive to credible elections. IGAD, the regional bloc that mediated the original peace agreement, continues to engage with all parties to ensure that the transition remains on track while addressing the concerns raised by stakeholders like the NPA.<\/p>\n Looking ahead, the path forward for South Sudan remains uncertain. The NPA document presents a clear choice: continue down the current trajectory of incomplete implementation and rushed electoral timelines, or pause to build the foundations for genuine democratic governance. The Alliance argues that the latter path, while slower and more challenging, offers the only realistic prospect for lasting peace and stability.<\/p>\n Several factors will be critical in determining which direction the country takes. The political will of key stakeholders \u2014 including President Salva Kiir, First Vice President Riek Machar, and other signatories to the peace agreement \u2014 will be decisive. The position of regional and international partners, particularly IGAD, the African Union, and the United Nations, will also play a significant role. The capacity and independence of electoral institutions, the security situation on the ground, and the humanitarian conditions facing millions of South Sudanese will all shape the feasibility of any electoral timeline.<\/p>\n The NPA document concludes with a call to action directed at all stakeholders: the government, opposition parties, civil society, regional partners, and the international community. “The time for genuine commitment to peace implementation, meaningful dialogue, and credible democratic transition is now,” the document states. “The future of South Sudan depends on our collective resolve to do what is right.” For Chairman Joseph Makuer Nyieth and the National Parties Alliance, the message is clear: elections must be a genuine exercise in democratic empowerment, not a procedural formality that papers over the deep structural challenges facing Africa newest nation.<\/p>\n Reporting based on the official NPA document “South Sudan at the Crossroads: The NPA Perspective on Elections and the Path Forward” presented by Joseph Makuer Nyieth, Chairman of the National Parties Alliance and Chairman of the Patriotic People Party. Additional reporting from RJMEC reports, UNMISS statements, and international diplomatic sources.<\/em><\/p>\n Share This Story<\/p>\n \nFollow Juba Global News Network for more updates: \nWritten By: Makuer Nyieth Panjaak<\/strong> | Editor-in-Chief, Juba Global News Network South Sudan at the Crossroads: The NPA Perspective on Elections and the Path Forward Juba,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1199,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[780],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-southsudan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7985","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1199"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7985"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7985\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/directtopic.com\/jubaglobal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nMay 2, 2026 | Filed under: South Sudan, Politics, Elections<\/span><\/p>\nA Nation in Crisis<\/h2>\n
Six Years of Unfulfilled Promises<\/h2>\n
Security Deterioration and Political Repression<\/h2>\n
The Election Question: Is South Sudan Ready?<\/h2>\n
NPA Official Position: Elections Must Not Be a Procedural Exercise<\/h2>\n
Vision for the Future: Democratic Transformation Beyond Elections<\/h2>\n
International Response<\/h2>\n
What Happens Next<\/h2>\n
\nFacebook<\/a> |
\nYouTube<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a9 2026 Juba Global News Network. All Rights Reserved. Published from Juba, South Sudan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"