Juba, South Sudan – As South Sudan prepares for its first nationwide elections slated for December 2024, a big stride was made with the adoption of a Code of Conduct for political events. This essential growth comes at a time when the nation is earnestly working to put down the groundwork for a good and peaceable electoral course of.
During a discussion board on April 4th, hosted by South Sudan’s reconstituted Political Parties Council and supported by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), political actors alongside civil society representatives gathered to validate this new Code of Conduct. The code goals to obviously define acceptable behaviors and guarantee accountability for actions deviating from set expectations.
Ismail Wais, Igad’s Special Envoy to South Sudan, highlighted the significance of the code, stating, “The adoption of the Code of Conduct comes at a critical time […] A code of conduct for political parties [is an] essential ingredient for peaceful elections, as it will assist the parties to demarcate acceptable and prohibited conduct and ensure accountability for actions that are not in line with expectations.”
Building Consensus and Ensuring Fair Play
The occasion marks a pivotal effort by UNMISS and different stakeholders, together with the African Union mission, to advertise consensus and encourage political will among the many events to the 2018 peace deal. Joram Biswaro, Ambassador of the African Union mission in South Sudan, expressed satisfaction with the progress, noting, “UNMISS and the other stakeholders encourage us to support this process to the extent that we are here to see this Code of Conduct today being validated.”
South Sudan is presently targeted on reaching peace benchmarks and establishing the mandatory technical, logistical, operational, and political frameworks to assist a good electoral course of. These efforts are essential for facilitating a strong, aggressive political atmosphere and broad public participation within the peace processes.
UNMISS’s Role and Future Prospects
As a part of its mandate, UNMISS holds common consultations with political events to deal with ongoing points and foster belief among the many political entities. The mission’s assist is geared in direction of not solely overseeing the adherence to the Code of Conduct but in addition guaranteeing that the upcoming elections contribute to the stabilization and growth of South Sudan.
The profitable implementation of the Code of Conduct and the energetic involvement of all political stakeholders are seen as important to the legitimacy and success of the forthcoming elections. With these measures in place, South Sudan hopes to create a conducive atmosphere for democratic governance and continued peacebuilding.
As the nation races in opposition to time, the dedication demonstrated by its political leaders and the assist from worldwide companions might certainly mark the start of a brand new democratic chapter in South Sudan’s historical past. The world watches as South Sudan takes these vital steps in direction of conducting its first nationwide elections, which many hope will likely be a milestone within the nation’s journey in direction of lasting peace and stability.
https://www.africanexponent.com/south-sudan-gears-up-for-first-national-elections-with-new-code-of-conduct/