Haysom: Elections Commission pledges to develop clear electoral timeline

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom. (Courtesy photo)

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom on Tuesday said the National Elections Commission (NEC) has committed to developing a clear electoral operations timeline that will enable them to deliver credible elections by December 2026.

The UNMISS chief who was addressing the press via the UN Radio Miraya also said that when he made a public address in October, there was real public fatigue at the fourth extension of the transitional period since South Sudan gained independence.

“At the time, all stakeholders stressed the need for a realistic electoral timeline to inspire confidence that the country was to make this the very last extension. Today, I am pleased to inform you that, just last week, the National Elections Commission (NEC), at the end of a three-day planning retreat facilitated by the UN’s Integrated Electoral Assistance Team, has committed to developing a clear electoral operations timeline that will enable them to deliver credible elections by December 2026,” he said. “This detailed timetable will outline, not only, the political decisions needed for the NEC to fulfill its responsibilities, but also the legal, financial, and technical requirements to fully implement elections within the timeframe.”

According to Haysom, vitally, the NEC has spotlighted the necessity to start immediate preparations for voter registration.

“This logistics-heavy exercise underpins the entire concept of democratic elections. It’s simple – if you’re not registered to vote, you won’t have a voice in shaping your country’s future. The NEC has, therefore, unequivocally stated that key political, operational, and resourcing decisions linked to voter registration and elections must be taken as soon as possible so that the actual process of registering voters and preparations for elections can start,” he stated. “From our perspective, comprehensive voter registration creates the space for all citizens—including the most vulnerable, but also reaching all ethnic and other communities—to come together in the shared enterprise of building a better future. It’s the springboard upon which the South Sudanese can launch a nation-building movement in the course of its first elections.”

“A strong legal framework promotes equity and confidence and is directly linked to elections that are considered legitimate, free, and fair by the people of South Sudan,” he stressed.

Haysom emphasized that elections that do not have the confidence of the population could be catastrophic for the country, even possibly sending it back into a relapse into conflict.

The UNMISS head said the UN will continue moving ahead with assistance to the NEC, not only through programmatic activities but also through brick-and-mortar investments in the form of infrastructure support for the Commission in all 10 states, that is, building offices and spaces to enable them to function.

He also revealed that UNMISS has redoubled political engagements at both national and sub-national levels to create a thorough awareness among political actors, civil society, security personnel, justice actors, community and faith-based leaders, women, and youth about their roles and responsibilities in political processes, especially since the burden of monitoring and observing elections will largely fall on the South Sudanese themselves.

“Today—Human Rights Day—I pledge that we will continue driving initiatives to enhance civic and political space by enabling dialogues across the spectrum on what a democratic society means to the South Sudanese, and how they can collectively contribute to achieving it. An election cannot be conducted in an environment where people do not have the freedom to have these conversations, where a plurality of views and opinions aren’t encouraged. Expanding civic and political space, therefore, isn’t an empty slogan. It is the foundation for an electoral process that is free, fair, credible and inclusive,” Haysom stated. “Speaking of inclusion, at the national level, I’ve had the privilege to witness frank, constructive exchanges between political party youth wings. It was impressive to see young people overcome their political divisions and demand that the voice of youth be heard as a single collective voice.”

He added: “And since that event, I have seen these same youth leaders engage at the national level, seeking to ensure that South Sudanese youth are able to express their interests in a better future. To me, this is a strong indication of a more durable political environment, which must be encouraged.”

Haysom urged the government to release funds to the technical bodies so that these deliberations can start, and citizens have the chance to define what it means to them to be South Sudanese.

He also commended the parties to the Revitalized Peace Agreement and the non-signatory groups for resuming the Tumaini talks in Nairobi.

He said he was glad to see movement in Juba on judicial reforms, a key benchmark contained within the Peace Agreement.

“The final report from the Judicial Reforms Committee is now with the Government for implementation. This report outlines key recommendations designed to improve access to justice and contribute to safeguarding the rights of all citizens,” he said. “What we’ve been doing to improve access to justice is deploying mobile courts and General Court Martials in hard-to-reach areas. We undertake this in collaboration with South Sudan’s judiciary, the SSPDF Military Justice Directorate, the government, and partners.”

The UNMISS chief also commended the Strategic Defense and Review Board for organizing the recently concluded National Security Sector Reform Conference.

“The workshop’s objective was to conduct a public review and validation of three important strategic documents, namely, the White Paper on Defense and Security; the Revised Defense Policy; and the Security Policy Framework,” Haysom stated. “Next steps include the consolidation of the presented documents and their submission to the President and Vice-President, then to the Council of Ministers and, finally, to Parliament.”

“Moreover, clarity on electoral security responsibilities is urgently needed. Confidence in the role of security forces during the elections, and the security environment itself, are integral to the trust and integrity of the electoral process,” he added.

Haysom highlighted that there are no shortcuts in the journey from war to peace but said he remains convinced that with decisive actions, a unified approach, and moral courage, peace is not only possible but inevitable.