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The United States Embassy in Juba has called on the Transitional Government to prioritize critical electoral reforms and inclusive dialogue to ensure the upcoming polls are both peaceful and credible.

In a statement released today, Monday, March 30, the embassy emphasised that genuine progress on the peace agreement’s roadmap is essential for South Sudan to hold a democratic transition that reflects the will of its citizens.

The embassy added that genuine dialogue cannot happen when key leaders are imprisoned, including the head of the second largest party to the agreement, who is under arrest and on trial.

It also called on the government to fund elections using its own public resources, just as it should begin financing public services and government salaries.

The statement said future U.S. support for elections, including through the United Nations, will depend on whether the transitional government demonstrates it can fund the process.

The statement emphasized that the U.S. does not seek to impose a political or ideological model on South Sudan but is focused on peace, proper use of public revenue, and ending the abuse of assistance.