The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ramadan Mohammed Abdallah Goc, claims the government has made progress in implementing the 2018 peace agreement and is committed to ensuring political civic space for other parties as the country prepares for elections.
In a meeting with the UK delegation led by Ms. Kate Foster, Head of the Africa Department at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, Goc informed the foreign diplomats that the recent extension of the transitional government by two more years, pushing elections to 2026, is part of the government’s commitment to achieving solid peace in the country.
“Progress [has been made] in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement. Recently, [we] extended the transition to allow parties to agree and implement outstanding provisions in the agreement that promote an enabling environment for elections to be conducted freely,” Goc said in a ministry statement on Wednesday.
He also stated that the government has allowed other political parties and civil society organizations to freely express their views and engage in nation-building without fear of repression.
“We are committed to the restoration of political civic space for political parties to express their political ideas toward nation-building because South Sudan is a democratic country whereby citizens are free to practice politics without challenge. As a country, we have chosen democracy as the pattern of our governance system,” Goc stated.
The restoration of political civic space has been a crucial demand from both local and international stakeholders, who view it as essential for creating a conducive environment for elections and lasting peace.
Goc emphasized that the government is working to remove barriers that previously hindered political freedom, ensuring that opposition parties and civil society groups have the freedom to operate without intimidation.
As South Sudan intensified its efforts to implement the peace agreement that ended the five-year conflict, Goc also briefed the diplomats about the country's open-door policy, highlighting its generosity in welcoming Sudanese refugees fleeing the war.
Ms. Kate Foster, Head of the Africa Department at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, praised South Sudan's efforts in hosting the growing influx of Sudanese nationals despite the challenges the country faces.
“UK deeply appreciated that generosity the South Sudan leadership demonstrated given the great number of people returning from Sudan since war erupted in Sudan,” said Foster.
