The African Union’s Peace and Security Council will assess findings from its field visit to South Sudan and issue a communiqué, the head of the delegation said on Friday.

Ambassador Hirut Zemene Kassa, Ethiopia’s Permanent Representative to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, led the council’s three-day visit, which began on Thursday.

Ethiopia currently holds the council’s rotating presidency for April, with Ambassador Hirut presiding over its meetings and guiding its agenda.

Speaking in Juba on Friday, Hirut stated that the visit — conducted on April 23 and 24 — aimed to evaluate the situation on the ground and support efforts to advance South Sudan’s peace process.

“We are here to evaluate the situation and see what the African Union can do to support the process,” she said.

The delegation held consultations with senior government officials, including Vice Presidents Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior and Hussein Abdelbagi, as well as Foreign Minister Monday Semaya.

It also met with cabinet representatives from the Transitional Government of National Unity, civil society groups, and international partners supporting the peace process, including the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC).

Hirut noted strong interest among South Sudanese in holding democratic elections, but emphasised the need to create the necessary conditions for a credible vote to bring the prolonged transition to an end.

She said the council would review its findings and release a communiqué outlining its position and recommendations.

“The African Union remains committed to standing with South Sudan and supporting the process,” she added.

The visit comes amid growing international pressure on South Sudan’s leaders to resume inclusive dialogue, release political detainees, and prepare for elections.

South Sudan’s security situation remains fragile despite the 2018 peace deal signed by President Salva Kiir and his rival Riek Machar.

Machar was placed under house arrest in March 2025 and suspended as First Vice President, further straining relations within the unity government.

The peace agreement and transitional arrangements have been undermined by continued violence, ceasefire violations, and political disputes between the two leaders.

South Sudan’s first general elections have been repeatedly delayed due to the lack of conditions for credible polls, logistical challenges, and political disagreements.

Authorities are now targeting December 2026 for the vote.

The African Union Peace and Security Council’s visit is the latest in a series of efforts to urge South Sudan’s leaders to advance the peace process and complete the transition through democratic elections.