South Sudan President Salva Kiir met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday, four days after travelling to South Africa for a working visit, the South African presidency said.
Ramaphosa held a bilateral meeting with Kiir at Mahlamba Ndlopfu, his official residence in Tshwane, Gauteng, the South African presidency said in a post on X.
In a video of the two leaders greeting each other before the meeting, posted by the South African presidency on X, Kiir could be heard saying: “I was sick, but I came because my doctors are here [in South Africa].” Ramaphosa replied that he knew.
The South African government said the meeting provided an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss economic cooperation, institutional development and capacity building between the two countries.
The leaders also discussed preparations for South Sudan’s elections, it said, without providing further details.
For its part, Kiir’s office said the president briefed Ramaphosa on preparations for the planned elections, which he said are progressing along four areas: legal preparations; administration and logistics; security; and inter-party dialogue.
About 90% of the required legal preparations had been completed, Kiir said, according to his office.
On administration and logistics, Kiir said the National Elections Commission’s headquarters had been purchased, offices in all 10 states are ready, civic education had begun and about 7,000 voter registration centres had been assessed.
On security, Kiir said police forces are undergoing training for election-related duties and that the government is committed to providing the personnel, equipment and logistical support needed for the vote.
Kiir also said attempts by those opposed to elections to sponsor or exploit insecurity would not prevent the country from proceeding with the vote, according to his office.
On political dialogue, Kiir said an expanded meeting bringing together the presidency and leaders of parties that signed the 2018 peace agreement had been established. The mechanism, established on Jan. 26, 2026, is intended to provide a forum for election-related discussions, develop a national consensus on the vote and address outstanding milestones under the peace agreement, his office said.
Preparations for the dialogue are continuing, with further details expected to be announced, it added.
Kiir also briefed Ramaphosa on the constitutional amendment process and other national developments, including an ongoing judicial process that his office said was continuing independently.
Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s support for South Sudan’s peace and democratic transition, according to Kiir’s office.
Kiir arrived in South Africa on Sunday for what his office described as a working visit, scheduled to run until Aug. 31.
Kiir is accompanied in South Africa by Presidential Affairs Minister Africano Mande and his daughter, Adut Salva Kiir, who serves as a senior presidential envoy for special programmes.
The meeting comes as South Sudan faces political and security challenges ahead of elections planned for December 2026.
Formal diplomatic relations between South Sudan and South Africa were established in September 2012, while bilateral cooperation is guided by a General Cooperation Agreement signed in 2013.
South Africa has been involved in regional efforts to support peace and political stability in South Sudan. Pretoria supports South Sudan’s peace efforts through the African Union High-Level Ad Hoc Committee on South Sudan, known as the C5.
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