Several South Sudanese civil society activists have issued an urgent call for renewed political commitment to the fragile peace process, warning that delays, insecurity, and public mistrust are putting the country’s transition at serious peril.
The call comes as signatories to the 2018 peace agreement face continuous condemnations and frustrations from both local and international peace partners as the country continues to experience violence almost everywhere.
Speaking during the South Sudan Civil Society Forum (SSCSF) Stakeholders Dialogue in Juba on Wednesday, Galdino Ohoma, the chairperson of the Forum, said that despite South Sudan being left with about 57 weeks to conduct its first-ever elections, most of the provisions of the agreement remain unimplemented.
“As of today, we are 57 weeks away from the 22nd December 2026, the day set for South Sudan long long-awaited general elections, yet we are behind in nearly every pillar of the transition,” he stated. “Meanwhile, humanitarian partners are reducing their support, leaving critical services unfunded and millions of our people exposed to deeper suffering. There is a deeper and even more urgent truth we must face together.”
Ohoma stressed that Security arrangements, constitutional development, political dialogue, civic space, electoral preparedness, and the full implementation of the agreement are lagging.
“If elections are not credibly or safely held, what urgent measures must we adapt today to avoid another painful and costly extension of the transition?” he asked, adding: “This dialogue must give us clear, courageous answers. Despite all these challenges, hope remains because you are here. Hope remains because inclusive people-centered dialogue is still possible.”
The Forum’s chairperson further called for collective efforts in pressing the leaders to renew their commitment to the peace agreement.
His sentiments were echoed by Jackline Nasiwa, Executive Director of the Center for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice (CIGPJ), who described the implementation of the peace agreement as fragile and sluggish.
“Today, as we convene for the national consultative dialogue under the theme of accelerating peace initiatives and escalating violence in South Sudan, mitigating risks and addressing challenges facing the transition to democracy and peace building in South Sudan, we stand at a pivotal moment in our nation’s enduring quest for sustainable peace,” she said
Nasiwa noted that although the 2018 peace agreement remains the foundation of stability, its implementation has been “fragile and sluggish”, undermined by recurring conflict, political deadlock, and limited progress on key reforms.
“You may recall that the high-level standing committee for the peace agreement referenced only 10 percent of the agreement being implemented to date,” she said. “This figure caused the need for coordinated actions, genuine intentions, inclusive national consensus to provide the way forward on the transitional mechanisms.”
Nasiwa warned that repeated extensions of the transitional period, including the postponement of elections to 2026, have deepened public frustration.
“The postponement of elections to 2026 has further eroded public trust in the transition, undermining the efforts at healing,” she said.
The activist stressed that peace remains the core wish of South Sudanese who have endured decades of violence and hardship. For that reason, she urged leaders to prioritize security, reforms, and meaningful participation of citizens in all political processes.
Highlighting the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and 30 years since the Beijing Platform for Action, Nasiwa expressed concern that women in South Sudan remain far from achieving the 35 percent quota for affirmative action.
She added that the country is at “a crucial juncture where civilians face escalating risks of violence, sexual and gender-based violence, and displacement.”
Persistent insecurity, mistrust, economic hardship, and slow reforms, she warned, threaten both democratic processes and social cohesion.