‘Ballot must replace the bullets’, South Sudan tells General Assembly ahead of elections

South Sudan's representative addressed the United Nations General Assembly during its annual General Debate, stating that elections would allow the South Sudanese people to democratically choose their leaders 15 years after independence. She acknowledged that significant work remains, including providing adequate resources to electoral institutions, continuing political dialogue, advancing security arrangements, and ensuring refugees and internally displaced persons are included in the process. She emphasized that political competition must never again become armed confrontation, declaring that the ballot must replace the bullets. She also noted that South Sudan faced internal conflict shortly after independence and that implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement had taken longer than anticipated.

Read More