JUBA — President Salva Kiir has called political parties to an inter-party dialogue in Juba on 17 September, setting up a high-stakes discussion over unresolved political and electoral questions before South Sudan’s planned December election.
The Office of the President says the talks are expected to address constituency boundaries and political representation, independent candidates, election sequencing, election and campaign financing, security arrangements for candidates and rallies, political freedoms, voting procedures, observer access, complaints and electoral disputes.
The parties are also expected to discuss a political code of conduct centred on non-violence, lawful political engagement and peaceful competition.
Participation remains the first test
The presidency says political actors beyond the parties that signed the 2018 peace agreement will be included. But participation is not yet settled.
Radio Tamazuj reported that it remains unclear whether the United People’s Alliance or the Oyet Nathaniel-led SPLM-IO faction have been formally invited. Both groups have previously argued that an inclusive dialogue should take place outside South Sudan under neutral regional or international facilitation.
That creates a basic credibility test before the meeting begins: whether major political actors that have challenged the Juba-led format are invited, whether they accept, and whether any alternative arrangements are made for those who do not attend physically.
What parties are expected to discuss
Reported agenda
- Constituency boundaries and political representation.
- Independent candidates and election sequencing.
- Election and campaign financing.
- Security for candidates, rallies, polling centres and election materials.
- Freedom of assembly, movement and expression.
- Manual versus digital procedures for registration, voting, counting and transmission.
- Domestic and international observer access.
- Complaints and electoral dispute-resolution mechanisms.
- A political code of conduct committing parties to non-violence and peaceful competition.
Eight questions for September 17
South Sudan Press dialogue tracker
- Which parties and political groupings have received formal invitations?
- Which have confirmed attendance, declined or requested conditions?
- Who will chair or mediate the dialogue?
- Can absent parties participate remotely or submit formal positions?
- Will decisions be reached by consensus, majority vote or another procedure?
- Will a full communiqué, agreement or minutes be published?
- What implementation deadlines will accompany any agreement?
- Which institutions — including the NEC and security agencies — will be bound by the outcomes?
Why this matters
The dialogue could become the principal political forum for issues electoral institutions cannot resolve on their own. Questions such as political space, security neutrality, election sequencing and unresolved disputes require political agreement as well as administrative preparation.
But a meeting described as inclusive will face immediate scrutiny if significant opposition actors remain outside it.
South Sudan Press will update this tracker as invitations, attendance confirmations, agenda documents and written outcomes become publicly available.