, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and key partners have handed over a newly renovated office to electoral authorities in Central Equatoria State.){kind=link}
By Otto Abut
As South Sudan prepares for its first-ever democratic elections, the United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNMISS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and key partners have handed over a newly renovated office to electoral authorities in Central Equatoria State.
The new facility is designed to strengthen the capacity of the Central Equatoria State Electoral Committee by enabling closer engagement with a broad range of stakeholders, including voters, political parties, civil society organizations, media, candidates, and observer groups.
“The National Elections Commission needs clarity—political, legal, and financial—to make positive progress toward free and transparent elections,” said Darren Nance of the UN Integrated Electoral Assistance Team.
The initiative is part of a broader national effort to promote transparency, accessibility, and inclusiveness in the 2026 elections by improving infrastructure and engagement mechanisms across all states.
Central Equatoria State Deputy Governor Paulino Lukudu Obede, who officiated the handover, described the facility as a symbol of democratic commitment.
“This is not merely the unveiling of a building, but a reaffirmation of our collective commitment to peace, democracy, and the right of citizens to choose their leaders through free, fair, and credible elections,” he said.
The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) echoed the call for urgency, urging signatories to the peace agreement to take immediate action to avoid further delays in the election roadmap.
“Creating a secure political and civic space is just as essential as physical infrastructure,” said RJMEC Interim Chairperson Major General George Aggrey Owino.
The Chairperson of the National Elections Commission, Professor Abednego Akok Kacuol, also emphasized the need to prioritize peace as a precondition for successful elections in 2026.
Similar election support offices are being constructed or refurbished in all ten states, forming part of a national initiative aimed at laying the groundwork for credible and peaceful democratic elections in South Sudan.