Ramaphosa commends South Sudan transitional period extension

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September 18, 2024 (PRETORIA) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended the parties in South Sudan for reaching a consensus to extend the current transitional period.

Last week, South Sudan’s parties to the September 2018 peace agreement extended the current transitional period by another two years. The decision was reached during a meeting President Salva Kiir held with his deputies, cabinets members and advisors in the capital, Juba.

According South Sudan’s presidency, the postponement is intended to provide time and space for the implementation of the remaining provisions of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement to the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

The extension implies that elections initially scheduled for December 22, 2024 will not take place.

Ramaphosa, in a statement Sudan Tribune obtained, called on South Sudanese Parties and the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) to spare no effort in implementing the outstanding provisions of the R-ARCSS and to maintain the peaceful atmosphere that has existed since September 2018.

The South African leader further called on the RTGoNU to allocate the necessary resources for the effective functioning of statutory institutions mandated to deliver free and fair elections.

He urged the regional bloc (IGAD) and the wider international community to continue to support the government and people of South Sudan in their search for lasting peace and democracy.

Ramaphosa, however, assured that South Africa would continue to support South Sudan to realise the ideals for peace, democracy and development.

In August 2022, the peace parties signed a two-year extension of the transitional government, citing the need to implement critical tasks in the 2018 peace deal.