Insecurity, Funding Shortfall Threaten Constitution Process – Dr Riang

The body tasked with drafting South Sudan’s permanent constitution is facing major delays due to a severe lack of government funding and worsening insecurity, its chairperson said Sunday, raising doubts about a key pillar of the country’s fragile peace process. In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, Dr. Riang Yer Zuor, chairperson of the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC), said the government has not provided any of the budget it requested for the current financial year, forcing it to rely on international partners to conduct essential public consultations. The commission is operating on an 18-month timeline aiming to produce a constitution before December 2026, a document seen as crucial for facilitating long-delayed national elections. While Dr. Riang said the deadline is still “doable,” the funding shortfall and spreading violence pose significant threats. … [“When we go for civic education and public consultations, we go to the states, and that does not mean just the state capital. We also go to the counties. When insecurity is there in some counties, we will not be able to send our members to those insecure areas because the safety of our members is very important. So, definitely, if nothing is done, it will affect our activities,” he said.] Radio Tamazuj