South Sudan rejects external pressure on domestic issues

by RAJI BASHIR in Khartoum, Sudan
KHARTOUM, (CAJ News) – BY rejecting interference in its domestic affairs by international partners, South Sudan has explicitly drawn a hard line between welcoming international cooperation and snubbing external control.

The Presidency, late on Thursday, directed the statement to partners including Canada, Japan, Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States, whose support it welcomed in strengthening peace, stability and development.

“However, partnership does not mean accepting directives from other countries,” South Sudan stated.

It reminded the partners that South Sudan was a sovereign nation, and its political decisions belonged to its people and institutions.

“International support for the peace process must therefore be grounded in respect for South Sudan’s sovereignty and its right to determine its own political future,” the Presidency stated.

It added that South Sudan valued its international partnerships, but partnership must not become external direction, and constitutional, judicial, security and economic reforms must be owned and driven by South Sudanese institutions and citizens.

“International partners can provide expertise and support, but political decisions belong to the people and institutions of South Sudan.”

South Sudan remains committed to peace, dialogue, reform and democracy, guided by national ownership and the sovereign will of its people, the Presidency insisted.

“International engagement is welcome on the basis of mutual respect, partnership and sovereignty.”

In a chat with CAJ News Africa from Juba, commentator Arok Lual said the response by the Presidency strongly pointed to underlying friction and growing diplomatic tension between South Sudan’s government and international or regional partners.

He noted this emanated from international actors and regional bodies frequently expressing concern or urging caution regarding the timeline and conditions for South Sudan’s planned elections, as well as external criticism or diplomatic pushback over internal legal and political trials involving high-profile political figures.

Lual added that international partners often tied financial, humanitarian or development aid to specific reform benchmarks and governance milestones.

“While aid and partnerships are welcome, they come with strings attached that the government is increasingly unwilling to accept,” he said.

“In essence, the statement is a pre-emptive pushback designed to assert control over the country’s domestic political calendar and legal matters, signalling to foreign governments and international organisations that Juba intends to set its own terms.”

General elections in the world’s newest country are due to be held on December 22, the first since independence in 2011.

Elections have been postponed from 2018, 2021, 2023 and 2024 because of the outbreak of the civil war and ensuing peace agreement, inadequate government institutions and the consolidation of power by long-time President Salva Kiir.

This week, Kiir met with Presidential Advisor for Peace Peter Charleman Cawach to discuss peacebuilding, national unity and efforts to advance stability in South Sudan, a country of over 2.4 million people.

“The meeting focused particularly on strengthening peace initiatives and ensuring that the country’s peace efforts move in step with preparations for the December 2026 general elections,” the Presidency stated.

– CAJ News