CEPO Director Edmund Yakani | Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio.

A civil society activist has welcomed President Salva Kiir’s announcement that the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) is ready to engage in dialogue with other political parties ahead of South Sudan’s general elections, but cautioned that the process must be genuine and inclusive.

President Kiir made the remarks after meeting SPLM Secretary General Dr. Akol Paul Kordit at the State House on Tuesday.

According to a statement from the Office of the President, Kiir said his administration will focus on restoring peace and stability to ensure the timely conduct of the country’s first general elections, scheduled for 22 December 2026.

Dr. Akol said the SPLM will convene a leadership caucus meeting to assess the current political environment and discuss ways to strengthen the party’s founding values.

He stressed that the SPLM is open to dialogue with all political groups that are signatories to the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, describing dialogue as essential for building a peaceful, united, and democratic South Sudan.

The renewed call for dialogue comes amid escalating violence in several parts of the country. Clashes have been reported between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and the SPLA-IO, as well as other armed groups, including the Upper Nile-based White Army militia, in Jonglei, Unity, and Eastern Equatoria states.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, said dialogue should not be used to undermine the legitimacy of the signatories to the 2018 peace deal.

In a WhatsApp message to Eye Radio, Yakani said civil society actors are ready to support a meaningful dialogue process that restores trust and advances implementation of the peace agreement.“It’s good that His Excellency has declared the dialogue. Our previous attempt was sabotaged and misinterpreted,” Yakani said.

“As stakeholders behind the initiation of an inclusive dialogue for the rightful signatories of the 2018 Peace Agreement, we are ready to champion a process that holds genuine meaning, not one that widens splits or undermines legitimacy.”

Yakani warned that without sincere dialogue, preparations for elections could be jeopardized.

“If we don’t have genuine dialogue, creating agreed conditions for elections will be harder, and credible polls may not be possible,” he said.

“Dialogue must respect the political consciousness of the people and demonstrate discipline and mature politics. We stand for an inclusive, genuine process to restore trust and ensure the implementation of pending tasks by rightful signatories.”

Meanwhile, the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has suspended flights to some counties in northern Jonglei due to insecurity, further worsening the humanitarian situation in the region.