Historic IPC Membership
South Sudan became the 193rd member of the International Paralympic Committee after a delegation traveled to South Korea on 26 September 2025. Officials describe the vote as a landmark that finally aligns the young nation with global standards of competitive sport for people with disabilities.
Government Commitment to Inclusion
Undersecretary Monica Agum Awet told The Dawn that membership ‘gives our disabled community the chance to perform regionally, continentally, and internationally’. She pledged seamless cooperation between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the newly recognized National Paralympic Committee to nurture talent and remove logistical hurdles.
Grassroots Programs Gain Momentum
National Paralympic Committee president Peter Baptist Abaker called the admission ‘historic’, adding that Korean assistance—both moral and financial—made the Seoul meeting possible. He noted that wheelchair basketball already thrives in Western Bahr el Ghazel, Lakes, and Central Equatoria, while amputee football now reaches nearly every state.
Regional Support and Future Outlook
Blind football, tennis, and judo are also taking root, expanding pathways for athletes who will soon carry the nation’s flag abroad. Officials say the IPC badge will attract coaching clinics, equipment grants, and corporate sponsorship, accelerating South Sudan’s broader agenda of inclusion and post-conflict social cohesion.