NAIROBI, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) missions in South Sudan called on Monday for the parties in the transitional unity government to prioritize the implementation of pending peace tasks within the 2018 revitalized peace agreement in 2025, ahead of the 2026 elections.

The AU Mission in South Sudan, the UN Mission in South Sudan, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, an East African bloc, acknowledged the progress made by the government and parties to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in 2024.

The missions, in a joint statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, emphasized that 2025 will be a pivotal year to prioritize the remaining tasks required for the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement.

"We recognize the peace achieved through the sustained ceasefire and encourage the immediate completion of the deployment of the remaining necessary unified forces as well as the broader transitional security arrangements to maintain stability," said the statement.

The missions also welcomed the goodwill demonstrated by South Sudanese President Salva Kiir in seeking the assistance of Kenyan President William Ruto on the stalled mediation with the holdout groups, leading to the Tumaini Initiative.

"We also commend President Kiir's endorsement of the inter-party dialogue to review the Roadmap and determine a refined approach to the overall implementation of the R-ARCSS. We urge that follow-up negotiations yield constructive consensus in both processes," the missions said.

The trio also called for expanded civic education and engagement with stakeholders, including political parties, civil society, media, and the broader community of South Sudan, regarding the timeline and other implementation challenges.

"We underscore that it is crucial to establish clarity at the start of the year to enable realistic plans that will allow for elections in December 2026," said the statement. ■