The United States has said South Sudan must decide for itself when and how to hold elections, rejecting suggestions that Washington is seeking to impose a political or ideological model on the country.
In a statement on its position towards South Sudan’s elections, the US said any decision on the timing and scope of the polls was a sovereign matter for South Sudanese leaders. But it said that, if elections go ahead, the government must ensure peaceful conditions and finance the process with the country’s own public resources.
“We reaffirm that the United States does not seek to impose a political or ideological model on South Sudan,” the statement said.
“We recognize that the timing and scope of South Sudanese elections are sovereign decisions for South Sudanese to make.”
The statement follows recent comments by South Sudan’s transitional government about US policy towards the country’s elections.
Washington said its expectations were straightforward if the country proceeds with the polls.
“If South Sudan proceeds with elections, our expectations are that South Sudan’s leaders ensure peaceful conditions and fund them with South Sudan’s own public resources,” it said.
The US position comes as South Sudan prepares for elections that have been repeatedly delayed since the 2018 peace agreement brought President Salva Kiir and his former rival, Riek Machar, into a power-sharing government.
The electoral process remains closely linked to the implementation of the peace agreement, which was intended to end years of political and military conflict.
But the transition has faced repeated setbacks, including political disputes, insecurity and disagreements among the parties to the peace deal.
Machar, the suspended first vice-president, remains detained in Juba and is facing legal proceedings. His detention has added to concerns about the future of the power-sharing arrangement and the wider political transition.
The United States did not endorse a specific election date or political arrangement. Instead, it stressed that decisions about the elections belong to South Sudan while outlining what it expects from the country’s leaders.
“Our position reflects the sovereign decisions the United States has made about its own priorities in South Sudan,” the statement said.
Those priorities, reaffirmed by the US Department of State in February, include peace and an end to the misuse of public revenue.
“Public revenue should be allocated for appropriate public purposes,” the statement said.
The emphasis on public resources comes as South Sudan continues to face severe economic difficulties. The country relies heavily on oil revenues, while citizens face widespread economic hardship and limited access to basic services.
The US statement therefore puts both security and financing at the centre of its expectations for any election.
For the polls to proceed, South Sudanese leaders would need to create conditions in which political parties and voters can participate without violence while also providing the financial resources required to conduct the election.
The government has repeatedly said it is committed to the political transition and elections, while opposition groups and other political actors have raised concerns about the political and security environment.
The US statement does not prescribe how South Sudan should resolve those differences.
Instead, it makes clear that Washington considers the election timetable and scope to be decisions for South Sudanese leaders, while expecting them to take responsibility for the conditions and financing of the process.