Author: The South Sudan Herald

South Sudan Faces a Perfect Economic Storm Currency free-fall, fiscal gaps and an oil shutdown have pushed South Sudan to its toughest economic test since 2011. Prices of food, fuel and medicine have surged, while non-oil revenue remains thin and public wages lag. Athian’s Brief but Notable Tenure Appointed finance minister in 2020, Athian Diing Athian stabilised the pound near 400 per dollar for almost two years. He reopened channels with the IMF and World Bank, unlocking roughly 500 million dollars that eased salary arrears and funded essential imports. Links with Bretton Woods Institutions Officials from the Fund praise his…

Bar Association Raises Alarm The South Sudan Bar Association issued an unusually direct public alert this week, naming Mariak Arwo Aruo Kuol as an unlicensed practitioner and advising citizens to avoid his services. Chairperson Arop Malueth Manon said the warning follows verification checks within the association’s membership roll. Impersonation Case in Gudele Court During hearings at Gudele’s local court, bar officials realised Mariak’s name was missing from the official advocates list. A criminal file for impersonation and fraud has now been opened, according to Arop, who urged litigants to immediately seek licensed representation. Pattern of Fraud Concerns The association regards…

South Sudan Youth Parliamentary Move South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly has inaugurated a Young Parliamentary Caucus, signalling fresh commitment to policy making driven by citizens under 40. Office Order No.4, signed by Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba on 20 August 2025, formally seats the 15-member bloc and aligns domestic rules with recent Inter-Parliamentary Union resolutions on youth participation. Inclusive Leadership Chart Hon. Daniel Abocha Ali of the SPLM chairs the caucus, assisted by Hon. Stephen Bol Ley of SPLM-IO. Portfolios span finance, foreign affairs, information, climate change, gender and youth, reflecting an effort to match legislation with the demographic realities…

Bor Forum Opens with Indigenous Peace Call A two-day Citizens Talk for Peace Forum, convened by UNMISS with Jonglei authorities, opened in Bor on Wednesday, urging community-driven answers to protracted violence. Gathering under the theme ‘Your Partner for Peace: The Neglected Responsibilities of Citizens,’ delegates aim to rebuild trust and reinforce collaboration between residents and state structures. Citizens and Officials Debate R-ARCSS Progress Opening remarks from UNMISS envoys and state officials reviewed progress since the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, noting tangible gains alongside persistent security gaps. Speakers pressed citizens to step beyond observing…

Residents’ Legal Notice Highlights Service Gaps A collective of residents from Gudele, Hai Referendum and Mia-Saba served legal notice on 26 August, alleging that key public services—roads, water, power and clinics—remain out of reach despite years of urban expansion. The petition, filed through Reign Legal and Consultancy Firm, named the national Ministry of Environment and Forestry among the institutions it views as neglecting basic service delivery. Environment Ministry Clarifies Its Mandate In a Wednesday press release, the ministry asserted that it designs and enforces environmental policy but does not build roads, dig boreholes or wire electricity networks (Environment Ministry press…

Unexpected Court Challenge in Juba When residents of Gudele, Hai-Referendum and Mai-Saba announced plans to sue over crumbling roads and flickering lights, Juba’s legal community took notice. The move, framed as a constitutional quest for dignity, pushes citizen-state relations into uncharted ground. Environment Ministry Clarifies Its Mandate Undersecretary Joseph Africano Bartel swiftly clarified that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry designs rules; it does not pour asphalt, wire transformers or staff clinics. He reminded critics that policy guardianship, not direct service delivery, sits at the heart of the ministry’s 2011 constitutional mandate. Which Agencies Hold the Spanner? Responsibility for smooth…

Heightened Verification at Juba International Airport The South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority has begun enforcing rigorous inspections on every aircraft entering the country’s airspace, officials told Eye Radio this week. Engineers are now stationed at Juba International Airport to cross-check maintenance logs, airworthiness certificates and crew licences before issuing landing clearance. Tighter Checks on Maintenance and Crew Records Acting Air Traffic Management manager Bol Ring Gum explained that South Sudan, lacking a national registry, relies on stringent document verification to keep its skies secure. “If an aircraft comes to Juba today, our duty is to validate its paperwork,” he said,…

Official Start in Nairobi At the United Nations Office in Nairobi on Wednesday, newly appointed South Sudan ambassador Anthony Louis Kon officially delivered his credentials, opening a fresh chapter in Juba’s representation. The brief ceremony marked the formal start of his tenure as Permanent Representative to both the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme. Kon Outlines Multilateral Commitment Speaking after the handover, Ambassador Kon underlined South Sudan’s commitment to multilateral dialogue and promised deeper engagement with international partners. He said the country aims to align its aspirations with the environmental and settlement priorities championed by…

Unexpected Re-arrest in Juba Raises Eyebrows National security officers picked up Brigadier General Gabriel Kuok Dang on Wednesday, barely four months after his medical release from detention. The former chief bodyguard to First Vice President Riek Machar was taken from a suburban clinic in Juba, witnesses say. Government spokespeople declined immediate comment, while opposition figures questioned the timing of the operation amid delicate power-sharing talks. Legal Questions Surround Detention SPLM-IO press secretary Pal Mai Deng labelled the move “a violation of rights,” adding that Kuok is still under active treatment for undisclosed ailments (Radio Tamazuj). He reported two unnamed individuals…

Rising Waters Swamp Seven Villages Days of relentless rainfall have pushed the White Nile’s backwaters into Ayod County, submerging Thuor-Ricmic-Thok, Pajiek, Canal, Pagoong, Gaar, Magok, Pagil and Nor-Manyang, and soaking nearly half of Ayod town, County Commissioner James Chol confirmed in a phone interview (Eye Radio). Food Security At Risk Flattened sorghum fields now lie beneath murky water, raising fears of acute food shortages in a county already grappling with sporadic insecurity and weak market links. Health workers warn that stagnant pools could accelerate malaria and waterborne diseases if supplies and protective gear do not arrive swiftly. Swift Relocation Amid…