Eastern Equatoria Tightens Mining Oversight
Eastern Equatoria State in South Sudan has issued a sweeping directive barring foreign nationals from unlicensed mining and logging operations.
The order, endorsed at the latest State Council of Ministers meeting, follows months of intelligence reports linking unauthorised extraction sites to rising insecurity around forest communities.
Security Concerns Drive the Ban
Information Minister John Elia Alhaji told reporters that armed groups have used isolated pits and logging camps as cover, jeopardising villagers and wildlife.
He stressed, “No foreigner is allowed to conduct artisanal mining or any business in our forests without official authorization from the relevant government institutions.”
Legal Pathways for Sustainable Extraction
The directive permits non-indigenous workers to apply for permits through county offices, enabling authorities to register sites, vet investors, and coordinate security patrols.
Local officials argue that transparent licensing could boost tax revenue while discouraging clandestine dealings that erode state coffers and fuel tensions.
Community Reaction and Next Steps
Grassroots activists in Torit and Kapoeta welcomed the move, saying previous complaints about tree felling and polluted streams went unanswered.
County commissioners have begun joint patrols with wildlife rangers; offenders, Alhaji warned, will be “held accountable in court” as the state seeks lawful and transparent resource management.