The United States said on Monday it would view peaceful and credible general elections in South Sudan as a positive step, but urged authorities to first create conditions to ensure the vote supports peace and accountability.
In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Juba called for an immediate return to dialogue among parties to the 2018 peace agreement, stressing that meaningful talks cannot take place while key political leaders remain detained.
“Genuine dialogue cannot happen when key leaders are imprisoned, including when the head of the second-largest party to the agreement is under arrest and on trial,” the embassy said.
Washington said it expects the transitional government to finance the electoral process using its own public resources, alongside funding basic services and salaries.
It added that future U.S. support for elections, including through the United Nations, would depend on whether authorities demonstrate a commitment to funding the process.
The United States said it does not seek to impose any political model on South Sudan, but is focused on promoting peace, the responsible use of public revenue and ending what it described as abuse of assistance.
“The people of South Sudan have waited long enough for peace,” the statement said, urging the transitional government to honour its commitments.
The call comes amid rising tensions, with First Vice President Riek Machar under detention and facing treason charges, and dialogue among parties to the 2018 peace deal largely stalled.
Observers also warn South Sudan is ill-prepared for free and credible elections scheduled for December, citing a lack of consensus among the parties, delays in reforms, insecurity and funding gaps.
South Sudan has been formally at peace since a 2018 deal ended a five-year conflict responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths, but violence between rival parties flares frequently.