By Hanad Abdi - Reporter
DJIBOUTI, 30 September 2026 - Djibouti President and current Chairperson of IGAD, Ismail Omar Guelleh, has called for a clear roadmap to complete South Sudan's political transition and hold elections by the end of December 2026.
Guelleh made the remarks during a virtual summit of the African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee on South Sudan, held on Tuesday as the country faces political divisions, armed violence and deteriorating security conditions.
The president said restoring stability in South Sudan depends on the country's leaders choosing peace and consensus rather than continuing political competition driven by personal or partisan interests.
"We believe that the primary responsibility for choosing the path of consensus rather than confrontation rests with the leaders of South Sudan," Guelleh said.
He said a lasting solution to the situation in South Sudan requires a transparent political process based on consensus, while urging the parties to clearly define the steps needed to complete the transition.
"IGAD reiterates its urgent call for a clear and final roadmap for the transition and for the holding of elections by December 2026," Guelleh said.
He added that another delay would not serve the interests of South Sudan alone but could also affect the region and the wider African continent.
"Neither South Sudan, nor the region, nor the continent can afford another delay," he said.
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The Djiboutian president also expressed concern over political decisions taken following the March 2025 incident in Nasir, saying they had raised concerns among parties involved in the peace process.
"The political decisions taken following the Nasir incident in March 2025 have raised concerns among stakeholders, particularly initiatives aimed at changing key aspects of the R-ARCSS agreement and uncertainty surrounding the agreed sequencing of the transition," Guelleh said.
He also highlighted the role of IGAD, the African Union and international partners in helping South Sudan address renewed violence and political divisions.
Guelleh said collective efforts by IGAD, the African Union and international partners had previously helped end the devastating conflict in South Sudan and led to the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan.
He said those joint efforts remain important to strengthening peace and political consensus in the country.
The virtual summit was attended by South African President and Chairperson of the AU High-Level Committee on South Sudan Cyril Ramaphosa; Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali; Kenyan President William Ruto; South Sudanese President Salva Kiir; and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Also attending were African Union Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi, representatives of the United Nations and other relevant organizations.
Djibouti's Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ali Hassan Bahdon, and the President's Diplomatic Adviser, Fathia Djama Oudine, also accompanied President Guelleh during the summit.
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