South Sudan's president dissolves government ahead of country's first elections

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has dissolved the government, impacting ministries and national institutions. This action comes as the country prepares for its first elections since independence in 2011, which have been postponed twice previously. The head of the national elections commission was recently dismissed and replaced. The commission had previously stated a significant funding shortfall for election preparations. The main opposition group has warned against participation in voter registration and campaigning in territories they control. UN agencies in the capital, Juba, have advised staff to work remotely due to the developing situation. The body overseeing the 2018 peace agreement has described this as a "critical phase" for South Sudan.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has dissolved the transitional unity government and appointed a caretaker administration ahead of the country's first national elections. This move, announced on Tuesday, ends the power-sharing arrangement established by a 2018 peace deal. The decree removed vice-presidents, ministers, and dissolved national and state assemblies, with Kiir remaining in office during the election period. These changes allow elections to proceed without a permanent constitution or census, though the main opposition alliance has rejected them. While rights groups acknowledge this as a step towards elections, analysts express concern that Kiir may now wield unchecked power. Preparations for the polls, initially expected in 2022, are underway amidst ongoing legal proceedings against suspended First Vice President Riek Machar and heightened security measures.