South Sudan Delays Elections Amid Peace Talks Crisis
- The peace talks in South Sudan are resuming after a meeting between President Salva Kiir and President William Ruto.
- These discussions had previously been stalled due to the withdrawal of Riek Machar's party after complaints about possible changes to a key peace agreement.
- With unresolved issues looming, the elections have now been postponed to 2025 while a new security law is drawing concerns from human rights groups.
South Sudan's peace negotiations are set to resume following an order from President Salva Kiir and Kenyan President William Ruto. The talks had previously halted after Riek Machar's party withdrew in July over concerns regarding a new mediation strategy that sought to alter the existing peace agreement, which ended a devastating civil war. This agreement has yet to be fully realized, prompting South Sudan to postpone upcoming elections. Originally scheduled for December 2023, these elections have now been moved to 2025 to ensure compliance with key electoral elements of the agreement. As the Tumaini initiative peace talks continue in Kenya, there are troubling issues regarding a proposed security law that would permit the government to detain individuals without warrants. This proposal has raised alarms among western diplomats and human rights advocates who worry about its potential abuse given South Sudan's already fragile political environment. The country is currently grappling with an economic crisis, exacerbated by interrupted oil exports following pipeline damages in neighboring Sudan, leaving many civil servants unpaid for nearly a year.