UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis Visit South Sudan
JUBA – United Nations General Assembly President Denis Francis on Friday called on South Sudan’s political leaders to ensure genuine and peaceful elections.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference in Juba, Francis urged parties to the 2018 peace pact to prepare adequately for the elections scheduled for December.
“We hope and we encourage that the elections take place. And that adequate preparation is made for the elections. In order to ensure that it produces a good, strong result that the people of Sudan are satisfied with and will not question,” Francis said.
Francis emphasized that the people of South Sudan should decide on a timeline for conducting free, fair, and credible elections.
“But the decision regarding the timing of the election is a matter for the government and people of [South] Sudan. Bearing in mind that the entire international community will have their eyes on South Sudan to see what happens,” he added.
The visiting diplomat pledged support to South Sudan in organizing the polls.
“And the future of this country, to a large extent, will depend on the extent to which the international community feels satisfied that the country is on the right road. South Sudan needs a lot of support. There is no doubt about it.”
Francis noted that mechanisms are available to assist and support the government if they lack expertise in holding elections.
“If the authorities in South Sudan believe that they do not have all of the necessary expertise to carry out the election in a way that would give the electors, the people of South Sudan, the comfort of knowing that the elections are free, then there are mechanisms available to assist and support the authorities of South Sudan to execute the elections.”
He assured that international organizations could help the government achieve a clear, strong outcome that is not questionable.
“There are international organizations set up that have been doing this for years and years and years. And who, if requested, if the government feels the need, I’m sure would be prepared to accompany the government and support their effort in getting a clear, good, strong outcome that is not questionable,” he said.
South Sudan is preparing for an election at the end of the transitional period in December. Based on provisions of a revitalized version of a 2015 peace agreement, the parties are required to hold elections at the end of the transitional period.
The elections, which have been postponed several times, are now set for December 2024, but key provisions of the peace deal are yet to be implemented. The SPLM and SPLM-IO, the largest parties in the deal, hold differing views on this.
While the SPLM, under President Salva Kiir Mayardit, calls for elections, First Vice President Riek Machar’s SPLM-IO says the country is not ready. He cited unmet implementation of the revitalized peace deal as the major barrier.
