South Sudan has summoned the ambassadors of Germany, Japan, Norway and the United States over a joint statement urging the country’s leaders to revive political dialogue, reject violence and strengthen accountability ahead of December elections.
Foreign Minister James Pitia Morgan summoned the four diplomats on Thursday and expressed the government’s concern over their statement, describing its contents as inappropriate and divisive at a time when South Sudan is preparing for elections, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Morgan stressed the importance of national ownership and respect for diplomatic norms, including non-interference in the internal affairs of South Sudan, the ministry said.
He also said sensitive political matters should be addressed through appropriate diplomatic channels.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the 2018 peace agreement and preparations for the elections, and called on political stakeholders and regional and international partners to help maintain a peaceful and conducive environment for the electoral process.
The ambassadors were given an opportunity to explain the basis and intentions of their joint statement, the ministry said.
The summons follows a joint statement issued by the four missions on Wednesday after their meeting with Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior in Juba.
The diplomats said South Sudan’s path to peace requires “urgent action” and called for the immediate start of what they described as “authentic inter-party dialogue”.
They urged political leaders to renounce violence as a means of resolving political differences and called for public revenues to be used to provide services and strengthen accountability.
They said such steps would help create conditions for private investment, security and the rule of law.
“We discussed our shared hopes for a future of peace and prosperity in South Sudan,” the diplomats said, adding that South Sudanese had waited “far too long” to see such a future.
They said those hopes could still be achieved “if the right decisions are made by the country’s leaders”.
The joint statement came days after an unusually public disagreement between Nyandeng and the presidency.
Public dispute
The diplomatic intervention followed remarks by Nyandeng at a requiem Mass in Juba for veteran politician Kosti Manibe Ngai on Aug. 21.
Nyandeng questioned the direction of the country and whether the current leadership was receiving the same level of oversight and advice that surrounded the leadership of the late Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) leader Dr. John Garang during the liberation struggle.
She also questioned the value of senior government positions if they did not improve the lives of ordinary South Sudanese and said she could sometimes go as long as two years without meeting President Salva Kiir.
Kiir’s office responded two days later, defending the president’s record in the liberation struggle and rejecting what it portrayed as an attempt to attribute the movement’s achievements to a small group of individuals.
The presidency said the liberation struggle had been collective and highlighted Kiir’s longstanding role in the movement and his relationship with Garang.
It also pointed to the December elections, saying those who believe the government had failed should make their case to voters.
The public dispute was followed by controversy over a planned trip by Nyandeng to Kenya.
Her office had sought presidential clearance for her to travel to Kenya for official engagements, including a public lecture at Murang’a University of Technology on Aug. 25 ahead of the university’s graduation ceremony.
An official in Nyandeng’s office said the request was submitted to the Office of the President on Aug. 13 but that the required clearance had not been received by the time she was due to leave Juba on Aug. 24.
Nyandeng did not make the trip.
Neither the presidency nor Nyandeng has publicly linked the delay in the travel clearance to her remarks.
Election plan
Separately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday issued a statement saying the government remains committed to implementing the 2018 peace agreement and holding national elections in December.
“South Sudan values the continued support and engagement of its regional and international partners,” the statement said, adding that the government remained committed to “constructive engagement and cooperation” in support of the country’s peace and electoral processes.
It also said it would continue engaging its partners through established diplomatic channels, stressing “mutual respect and due regard for national ownership.”
The National Elections Commission has set Dec. 22, 2026, as the date for the country’s general elections, which have been repeatedly postponed since independence in 2011.
South Sudan’s transitional government has repeatedly said it will proceed with the December vote and has ruled out extending the transitional period beyond the end of 2026.
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