AU Committee Urges Inclusive Dialogue to Secure Credible 2026 Elections in South Sudan

By Kei Emmanuel Duku
Kenyan President William Ruto has issued a decisive call for unity and inclusive political engagement to ensure South Sudan achieves a successful democratic transition through credible elections in 2026.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit, President Ruto emphasized that regional and continental stakeholders are now working in lockstep to resolve the country’s long-standing security and political challenges.
Addressing the African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee for South Sudan, known as the C5 Plus, the President detailed how the committee is advancing efforts toward a peaceful conclusion of the transition period. “We are working with all stakeholders to address the peace and security situation in South Sudan,” President Ruto stated, noting that these collaborative efforts are designed to culminate in credible elections by December 2026.
The C5 committee acts as a representative body of the five regions of the African continent, consisting of South Africa as the Chair representing Southern Africa, Algeria for North Africa, Chad for Central Africa, Nigeria for West Africa, and Rwanda representing East Africa. These nations were specifically appointed by the African Union to support the peace process and mediate the transition. The “Plus” designation refers to the expansion of this committee during high-level summits to include critical regional stakeholders such as the IGAD Secretariat, the African Union Commission, and IGAD member states, including Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda.
President Ruto explained that the primary goal of this expanded format is to ensure that regional mediators and continental representatives work in total lockstep to push for the electoral deadline. To achieve this, the current efforts revolve around robust and inclusive dialogue with all relevant parties, including hold-out groups and those currently excluded from the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity. Such engagement is viewed as essential to resolve outstanding issues under the Revitalised Agreement and to advance critical transitional milestones.
As the transition enters a pivotal phase, the Kenyan leader urged all political actors in South Sudan to look beyond internal divisions for the sake of national stability. President Ruto called on all participants to refrain from advancing narrow, partisan, sectarian, or ethnic interests, insisting that they instead “give priority to the supreme interests of the people of South Sudan.”