South Sudan’s Cabinet, over the week-end, has approved new amendments to the 2018 Peace agreement in a bid to facilitate long-delayed general elections scheduled for December 2026.
Information Minister Ateny Wek Ateny said the bill, endorsed unanimously under President Salva Kiir, will be forwarded to parliament for consideration. The changes aim to revise provisions of the peace deal to enable the conduct of elections, although specific details were not disclosed.
This marks the second set of amendments, following earlier revisions in December 2025 that removed key pre-election requirements such as a permanent constitution and national census. However, those changes faced criticism for bypassing parliamentary approval and the peace monitoring body, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), and were rejected by opposition figures linked to First Vice-President Riek Machar.
Civil society groups have again raised concerns, warning that the latest amendments may breach the agreement’s procedures, which require RJMEC endorsement. Calls have also been made for regional bodies, including the African Union and IGAD, to intervene. The move comes amid ongoing delays in implementing the 2018 peace deal, with several key milestones, including elections, repeatedly postponed.