JUBA—The United Nations has warned that hate speech and disinformation could undermine South Sudan’s electoral process, calling for coordinated efforts to address harmful information ahead of elections scheduled for December 22, 2026.
The caution was made during a workshop in Juba on October 13 to establish a national multi-agency coordination platform to address harmful information and strengthen conflict prevention.
Beleteze Foretia, representing the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, cautioned that political uncertainty and declining public trust could undermine confidence in the electoral process.
“Political uncertainty, limited access to credible information and declining public trust can create conditions in which harmful narratives flourish, potentially undermining confidence in political and electoral processes,” Foretia said.
He said a peaceful political process requires access to reliable information and the ability to express political differences without intimidation or incitement to violence.
The proposed platform is intended to strengthen cooperation among government institutions, media organisations, civil society groups, academic institutions and development partners to identify emerging information-related risks and coordinate preventive action.
Foretia said efforts should focus on identifying harmful narratives before they escalate into violence by linking monitoring and analysis to existing early-warning and early-response mechanisms.
“We must move beyond reacting to harmful narratives after tensions have escalated,” he said, urging stakeholders to translate timely information into coordinated preventive action.
However, Foretia cautioned that efforts to counter hate speech and disinformation must not undermine fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, independent journalism and legitimate political participation.
“At the same time, efforts to counter hate speech and disinformation must safeguard freedom of expression, independent journalism and legitimate political participation,” he said.
He added that respect for human rights and access to information should remain central to the initiative, amid concerns about the effects of inflammatory rhetoric and misleading information in societies affected by prolonged conflict.
For her part, Victoria Anib, IGAD’s head of mission in South Sudan, said the proposed platform would strengthen cooperation among institutions without replacing their existing responsibilities.
“Its purpose is not to replace existing mandates, but to strengthen cooperation, information sharing and coordinated responses to emerging challenges,” Anib said.
She urged participants to establish clear institutional roles, strengthen links between early warning and preventive action, and ensure the platform has national ownership and a sustainable implementation framework.
Anib said the changing information environment required regional organisations and national institutions to adapt their approaches to conflict prevention as South Sudan prepares for elections and advances constitution-making efforts.
She added that the initiative would seek to improve coordination among national, regional and continental institutions in addressing information-related challenges that cross national borders.
The workshop was expected to examine the proposed platform’s governance arrangements and identify practical measures to improve coordination.
South Sudan is scheduled to hold general elections on December 22, 2026. President Salva Kiir had dissolved the transitional government in September.
While electoral officials have continued preparations for the planned polls, political analysts have raised concerns over the absence of a publicly issued electoral roadmap and voter-registration timelines.