On 22 July 2026, Lothar Jaschke, Chargé d'Affaires of the European Union Delegation to South Sudan, called on members of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and the Council of States to actively use their constitutional powers to hold the government accountable, particularly on budget execution for health and education. Speaking at the opening of a two-day Civic Education and Public Consultations Event on federal governance in Juba, Jaschke highlighted that the legislature has the right to request statements from the government on any issue, including the Bill of Rights, and to initiate legislation—a power that has so far been exercised almost exclusively by the executive.
Jaschke pointed to specific examples where lawmakers could demand accountability: the health budget execution rate of less than 1% of spending, compared to a Sub-Saharan African average of 10%, and the non-payment of salaries for public health workers. He also referenced a speech by Speaker of the TNLA Joseph Paciko on 1 May 2026, in which Paciko argued that work should be remunerated. The remarks come amid the ongoing constitution-making process under the 2018 peace agreement and the 2022 Act on the Constitution Making Process, which Jaschke called "the greatest success story in South Sudan since the signing of the peace agreement in September 2018."
Jaschke welcomed the announcement by Minister Lomuro, made at the RJMEC Board Meeting on 2 July 2026, that pending tasks of the peace agreement would be shifted to a "post-election R-ARCSS agenda," a commitment now included in the board's official conclusions. He encouraged as much progress as possible on implementing the agreement's provisions during its remaining lifetime. The EU supports the constitution-making process through the Max Planck Foundation, which has organised workshops and produced handouts on constitutional processes. Jaschke urged parliamentarians to recall the rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights, which he described as "the cornerstone of social justice, equality and democracy."