Minister of Presidential Affairs Africano Mande Gedima meets Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Kosmodemyansky in Juba. Moscow has committed to training South Sudanese electoral officials ahead of the December 2026 polls. | Photo: Ministry of Presidential Affairs

Minister of Presidential Affairs Africano Mande has confirmed that South Sudanese electoral officials will undergo training in Russia before the elections in December.

The announcement followed a meeting in Juba between Gedima and Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Kosmodemyansky. The officials met to review bilateral relations, which the ambassador characterized as being based on sovereignty and non-interference.

Ambassador Kosmodemyansky reaffirmed Russia’s support for the December electoral process. In addition to the training of officials, Moscow expressed its intent to expand cooperation in politics, business, and culture.

The South Sudanese government and peace agreement signatories have scheduled the general elections for December 22, 2026. This date follows an agreement to conclude the transitional period without further extensions.

The National Election Commission stated that voting will take place across 102 geographical constituencies. The commission is utilizing boundary data from 2010 to conduct the process.

While the African Union (AU) has endorsed the 2026 roadmap and ruled out extensions, the United States envoy stated that international support depends on the government’s ability to ensure conditions for the vote.

Minister of Information Ateny Wek Ateny stated that the government is prepared for the 2026 deadline. He noted that the President and the Council of Ministers have approved resolutions to hold the elections on schedule, dismissing reports of a term extension.

Professor Abraham Kuol Nyoun of the University of Juba recommended that the government release funds to electoral institutions by June 2026. He stated that this funding is required for voter registration, civic education, and party registration to proceed.