President Salva Kiir convened, on 10 December 2025, a rare gathering of South Sudan’s political leaders in Juba to recalibrate the final phase of the country’s long-delayed transition.
Officials confirmed that the parties agreed to amend several provisions of the 2018 ‘Revitalized Peace Agreement’, aiming to clear obstacles to the December 2026 elections.
The adjustments, though not yet detailed, will be accompanied by the creation of a Political Committee to resolve outstanding issues and a legal Committee—led by the Justice Minister—to oversee associated legislative reforms. The meeting brought together senior figures, including Vice Presidents James Wani Igga, Taban Deng Gai, Josephine Lagu and Rebecca Nyandeng, SPLM-IO leaders, opposition members, and cabinet officials, signaling an attempt at broad political inclusion. SPLM-IO Interim Secretary-General Agok Makur confirmed that the parties reached consensus to hold elections as scheduled and to establish a multi-party mechanism for addressing unresolved matters.
Civil society advocate Edmund Yakani welcomed the high-level engagement but cautioned that any amendments must uphold the spirit of the 2018 agreement and secure the consent of all signatories, including the faction aligned with Riek Machar.
He warned that moving to elections without completing core provisions—such as security reforms, the constitution-making process and a national census—may pose legitimacy risks. The decision marks a shift toward revising the peace deal rather than fully implementing the original framework.
