Prod. Abenego Akook, Chairperson of South Sudan National Elections Commission. Photo: Wol Mapal/Eye Radio

The National Elections Commission (NEC) says it has received six million U.S. dollars from the government to support civic and voter education activities ahead of South Sudan’s anticipated general elections in December this year.

Speaking during a press conference in Juba on Monday, NEC Chairperson Prof. Abenego Akok Kachuol described the funding as a significant contribution towards the commission’s preparations for the electoral process.

Prof. Akok said the resources will be used to implement civic and voter education programs aimed at increasing public awareness and participation in the elections.

“The second one is the resources given to us by the government. This month, they gave us six million dollars for civic and voter education,” he said.

He emphasized that civic and voter education are among the commission’s key responsibilities as it prepares citizens for the electoral process.

“These two functions are very important, but the hugest one will come later on,” Prof. Akok added, without elaborating on the additional funding expected in the future.

The NEC chairperson expressed gratitude to the government for providing the resources, saying the support would enable the commission to continue its preparations for the polls.

“Hence, we thought to thank the government of South Sudan for availing these resources for us to be prepared and we go on,” he said.

Civic and voter education is considered a critical component of election preparation, as it helps voters understand electoral procedures, their rights and responsibilities, and the importance of participating in democratic processes.

The funding comes as the National Elections Commission intensifies preparations for elections, which are expected to play a crucial role in the implementation of South Sudan’s peace process.