Civil society in South Sudan has backed a significant overhaul in the transitional process as the country prepares for upcoming general elections.

 During a three-day dialogue that concluded on Thursday, activists discussed crucial issues impacting the transition, with a particular emphasis on elections.

Jackeline Nasiwa, a representative of civil society activists, addressed journalists at the dialogue’s conclusion on Thursday evening, highlighting key discussion points. “We deliberated on elections, security sector arrangements, transitional justice mechanisms, the constitutional-making process, and ways to level and prepare the civic, political, and media spheres as we move towards the elections,” she said.

Nasiwa elaborated, “Through these discussions, we reached important outcomes during our stay in Juba. This included the development of a civil society strategy for engaging in the transition, a media engagement strategy that was shared during the gathering, and resolutions that we all endorse and believe will contribute to South Sudan’s progress towards development and peace. We remain committed to supporting the transition and the parties involved in achieving lasting peace in South Sudan.”

She urged the parties to the agreement to engage in inclusive inter-party dialogue to accelerate the peace process leading up to the elections.

“We urge the parties to commit to inclusive inter-party dialogue, involving peace stakeholders and other political parties, to facilitate a smooth transition and sustain democratic progress in South Sudan,” she emphasized.

“We also call upon the international community to support the transition towards lasting peace, characterized by credible, free, peaceful, and fair elections. We urge IGAD to convene an inter-ministerial meeting promptly to address the stalemate surrounding the transitional processes and the current challenges facing South Sudan’s transition. Additionally, we call on IGAD to hold the parties accountable for their commitments and promises of peace to the people of South Sudan,” she added.

Wanga Emmanuel, representing grassroots civil society organizations at the forum and serving as the Executive Director for Vision South Sudan and Chairman for Western Equatoria Civil Society Network, cautioned against altering the resolutions from the forum.

“We strongly urge that the content of the three documents we have presented here should remain intact as they reflect our collective views guided by the peace agreement framework. We demand accountability from the government; if they oppose our resolutions, they must provide viable alternatives. Should they choose to remain unchanged, we will hold them accountable,” he emphasized.

Ismail Wais, the IGAD Special Envoy to South Sudan, affirmed IGAD’s commitment to supporting the people of South Sudan in ensuring fair and peaceful elections in 2024. “Elections are crucial for the democratic transition of this country. We advocate for peaceful, fair, and credible elections. It’s imperative to prevent a return to conflict, as elections can be both constructive and divisive. Therefore, we must all strive for peaceful elections,” he asserted.

“IGAD stands in solidarity with the people of South Sudan as a guarantor of the peace agreement. We will remain steadfast in our support until this process reaches its conclusion,” he concluded.

The discussions over three days centered on elections, security sector arrangements, transitional justice mechanisms, the constitutional-making process, and strategies to level and prepare the civic, political, and media landscape for the transition towards the elections.