The US government says President Salva Kiir, First Vice President Riek Machar, and other South Sudanese political leaders have collectively failed to meet the standards necessary for genuine and peaceful elections to take place in December.

The Biden Administration is citing the UN Secretary-General Guterres’ April 8 Negative Assessment of Preconditions for Elections in South Sudan which outlined numerous “critical preconditions necessary to hold genuine and peaceful elections that the South Sudan transitional government has yet to meet.”

The United States says it “remains concerned about ongoing reports of human rights violations, as well as inadequate investment in key democratic institutions.”

“Transitional government leaders should act with urgency to address these deficiencies and create the necessary preconditions for a genuine and peaceful electoral process, including by protecting civic space, standing up politically neutral security forces, strengthening electoral institutions, and holding dialogue among leaders to resolve outstanding election decisions,” it added.

Meanwhile, Washington urges that the “UN electoral support to focus on establishing these preconditions.

It warns of greater risk of additional violence should South Sudan’s leaders not take these steps.

U.S  stressed that its “strong U.S. advocacy for the necessary preconditions for a genuine and peaceful electoral process is designed to avoid a return to civil war.”