Ruto also announced plans to engage the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) for broader regional and international support.

Faki reaffirmed the AU's commitment to support South Sudan's government and people throughout the political transition process and beyond. 

On Monday, the lawyers challenging the action went to the Supreme Court, asking it to declare it "null and void."

Despite the hefty budget, Lomuro reassured that the High-Level Standing Committee would continue engaging institutions to bring the figure down to a more manageable level.

This extension shifts the end of the transitional period from February 2025 to February 2027 and moves the scheduled elections from December 2024 to December 2026.

South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, remains heavily dependent on its northern neighbour to export oil to international markets.

The Presidency highlighted that the remaining months of the current transitional period will focus on mobilising funds to ensure the effective implementation of the revitalised peace agreement.

UN missions there have said South Sudanese authorities are holding up United Nations fuel tankers over a tax dispute, jeopardising the delivery of millions of dollars of aid during a humanitarian crisis.

The proposed vote follows years of delays: An election was due to take place in 2015 but was postponed after the young country descended into civil war.

"The humanitarian crisis in South Sudan has left over 75 per cent of the population in desperate need, with many struggling to feed themselves and their families," Dodds added. 

The question of equitable representation has been on the agenda for several years, including through the General Assembly’s open-ended working group and intergovernmental negotiations to address the issue.

The commission warned that without timely action on these fronts, the elections could face significant obstacles.

This development came days after the parties to the Kenya-led initiative signed eight protocols encompassing security, ceasefire, communal violence, arms proliferation, land disputes, trust-building, humanitarian access, and the role of guarantors.

The error occurred ahead of South Sudan's opening men's basketball game against Puerto Rico, which the East African nation won in a historic victory.

Organisers inadvertently played the anthem of neighbouring Sudan - but later apologised for the mistake.

The visit follows the recent Nairobi Tumaini Peace Initiative, which Kiir is keen to update Ramaphosa on, especially since the initiative has reset after First Vice President Riek Machar, who leads the main opposition party, pulled out of the talks.

The SPLM-IO's Political Bureau convened in Juba last Tuesday where it unanimously voted to exit the negotiations.

Machar accused the initiative of overstepping its mandate and undermining the East African Community's existing revitalised peace agreement and sovereignty, sending Kenyan mediators back to the drawing board.

The minister received the first consignment of 645,000 vaccines with the help of the World Health Organization (WHO) alongside other stakeholders.

Machar accused the initiative of overstepping its mandate and undermining the East African Community's existing revitalised peace agreement and sovereignty, sending Kenyan mediators back to the drawing board.

The framework lays down some basic principles for the protection, sharing, and management of the Nile Basin.

Recent weeks have seen graphic images of South Sudanese nationals being thrown onto pick-up trucks and placed in congested waiting areas before deportation to states in South Sudan at the Sudanese border.

Kong Wiyual Bill highlighted challenges including the need for a census before elections and the presence of the Ugandan military in Juba.

The decision, announced via state TV on Wednesday night, coincides with worsening inflation and a significant depreciation of the local currency against the US dollar.

"The war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is threatening regional peace and stability," warned Kiir in a statement posted on X by the South Sudan Government. 

The ACHPR says the bill passed on July 3 is punitive and gives the National Security Council more powers which might give room for violation of human rights.

SSOMA said on Monday that it does not want the elections extended or rescheduled and that the peace process - the Tumaini Initiative that is ongoing in Nairobi - should be prioritised.

The country has faced an economic meltdown that experts say could bring not only hardships but also political turmoil to a nation wracked with both.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said he had no faith in Ethiopia backing down from the MoU with Somaliland

South Sudan's Minister of Information Michael Makuei announced that the discussions are almost complete.