AU Peace and Security Council to visit Juba for elections talks

The African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) is expected to visit Juba, South Sudan, later this week for high-level consultations on the country’s peace process and preparations for the December 2026 elections.

According to the AU Mission in South Sudan, the delegation will be in the country from April 23 to 25, 2026, as part of a field mission to assess progress on the implementation of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.

During the visit, the AU PSC is scheduled to meet President Salva Kiir, alongside the Vice Presidency and key stakeholders, including institutions established under the peace agreement, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC).

The council will also engage civil society and other actors to gather first-hand information on the status of transitional arrangements ahead of the planned elections.

The AU said the mission will inform its decisions on “the next steps required to effectively support the Government and people of South Sudan to successfully complete the outstanding transition.”

Civil society groups have welcomed the visit but urged the AU PSC to ensure it produces concrete outcomes, including progress on political detainees, adherence to the ceasefire, and inclusive dialogue among signatory parties.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), said repeated AU visits show solidarity but must lead to tangible action.

“We hope that this visit will yield tangible results around the release of the political detainees in Juba and across the country. Among them is the first vice president, Dr. Riek Machar, who is suspended and undergoing trial with some of his party co-accused,” Yakani said.

He cited concerns over declining political trust, delayed implementation of the peace agreement, and continued tensions among key parties.

First Vice President and SPLM/A-IO leader Riek Machar is currently under house arrest while facing trial alongside seven co-accused over the Nasir incident of March 2025.

Prosecutors allege that coordinated attacks involving SPLA-IO elements and allied White Army forces led to the deaths of 257 SSPDF personnel and the destruction of military equipment valued at about USD 58 million during an assault on the Nasir garrison.

The accused face charges including murder, conspiracy, terrorism, treason, destruction of public property and crimes against humanity. The co-accused remain in National Security Service detention facilities in Juba.

The case has heightened tensions between SPLM/A-IO forces and the SSPDF, while international calls for Machar’s release have been rejected by the government, which maintains that the judicial process must proceed independently.

On February 20, 2026, the C-5 called for an immediate ceasefire, full implementation of the peace agreement, inclusive dialogue without preconditions, preparation for the December 2026 elections, release of political detainees, and coordination of international support to secure lasting peace.

The African Union in March appointed former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete as special envoy for South Sudan under the AU Ad Hoc High-Level Committee on South Sudan (C-5), a mechanism supporting implementation of the 2018 agreement. He visited Juba two weeks ago, but tangible outcomes remain limited as the AU PSC prepares to reinforce efforts.

South Sudan remains in a fragile transition following the 2013 conflict, with repeated delays in implementing key provisions of the peace deal, including security arrangements, institutional reforms, and electoral preparations.

The country’s first general elections, now scheduled for December 2026, have been postponed several times amid ongoing political and security challenges.