RJMEC said the National Elections Commission had launched nationwide civic and voter education campaigns after receiving additional government funding, while the Political Parties Council had registered 39 political parties before the June 30 deadline. However, it said those steps fell far short of what was needed for credible elections. “Critical prerequisites for the conduct of credible, peaceful and inclusive elections remain unmet,” RJMEC Chairperson George Aggrey Owinow told the council, urging South Sudan’s leaders to build political consensus through “inclusive and genuine dialogue.” Opposition parties, civil society groups and international observers have repeatedly questioned whether conditions exist for a credible vote. The commission warned that failure to break the current political deadlock could jeopardise both South Sudan’s fragile peace agreement and regional stability.