The African Union (AU) has appealed to member States, international partners and donors to help bridge a major funding shortfall facing South Sudan ahead of its December 22, 2026 elections.
South Sudan’s National Elections Commission (NEC) estimates it will require about $250 million to conduct the polls, but the government has so far provided only $27 million, leaving a gap of approximately $223 million.
The government initially released $21 million for election preparations before providing an additional $6 million for civic and voter education. In a communiqué adopted on August 26, 2026 and released early September, the AU Peace and Security Council expressed concern about “significant funding and administrative shortfalls” confronting South Sudan’s electoral institutions.
The AU Peace and Security Council called on countries and international partners willing to provide assistance to submit concrete funding commitments to the AU Commission by October 2026.
The appeal contrasts with the position of the United States, which said on August 31 that if South Sudan proceeds with the elections, they should be conducted peacefully and financed from the country’s own public resources. Beyond funding, the AU called for a realistic and consensual electoral roadmap, political inclusiveness, an open civic space, adequate security and mechanisms for resolving electoral disputes.
It also raised concerns about political and security tensions, including disagreements among parties to the 2018 peace agreement and armed confrontations in Jonglei, Upper Nile and other parts of the country.
The AU Peace and Security Council reiterated that South Sudan’s transitional mandate should end in February 2027 without another extension and urged parties to resume political dialogue without preconditions. The AU also condemned the August 24 ambush in Jonglei State that killed two Ethiopian UN peacekeepers and injured seven others.
South Sudan’s December 22 polls are expected to be the country’s first general elections since gaining independence in 2011. The AU is expected to hold a dedicated session in October to assess the country’s preparedness for the elections.