South Sudan has postponed its long-awaited elections until December 2026, the government announced on Friday, revealing the fragility of the peace process in the world's newest country.

President Salva Kiir's office posted on Facebook that the elections previously scheduled for December 2024 would be postponed until December 22nd, 2026.

This also further extends the transitional period agreed under a 2018 peace deal by two years, as South Sudan struggles to usher in a vote following the 2013-18 civil war.

Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro said on Friday that the delay was agreed because "all the tasks which are critical for the conduct of elections in December 2024" were not yet completed.

Lomuro said in a statement that both electoral institutions and the security sector recommended the extension.

South Sudan struggles with politically driven ethnic violence

Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has spent much of its existence in conflict, with ongoing politically driven ethnic violence.

Around 400,000 people died, and millions were displaced in a civil war between rival forces of President Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar between 2013 and 2018, before a peace deal led to a unity government with promise of eventual elections.

However, the South Sudan government has not been able to address the issues facing the nation as thousands battle flooding and hunger amid continued unrest and a failing economy. Civil war in neighboring Sudan in the past year has also had an impact.

Government criticized for  delaying elections

This is the second time the promised elections have been delayed by multiple years since the 2018 peace deal, prompting criticism against the government.

It comes even as key provisions of the transitional peace agreement remain unfulfilled. These include drafting a national constitution and unifying the rival forces under Kiir and Machar.

Earlier this year, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "urgent steps" to hold the long-stalled elections.

Edmund Yakani, head of the non-profit Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO) called the postponement "total disappointment" speaking to news agency AFP.

"These extensions have been used as a strategy for clinging to power," he said, saying the government had had ample time to organize the elections.

ss/msh (AFP, Reuters)