Author: The South Sudan Herald

Global Handwashing Day Sparks Classroom Cleanliness Abyei-Ajok Primary School in Rumbek Central County hosted Lakes State’s Global Handwashing Day ceremony, turning a routine awareness date into a vivid lesson for hundreds of pupils. State Minister Zacharia Magot Ater Aguai told learners that “hand-washing must become a daily habit,” adding that trimmed nails and covered food form the bedrock of public health. Officials Outline Broader Public Service Vision Aguai linked the hygiene push to a wider agenda, noting Governor Rin Tueny Mabor’s focus on education, water, health, farming and roads. He credited national stability to President Salva Kiir, arguing that peace…

Pilgrims on the Move in Jonglei State Hundreds of congregants left Langkien, the administrative hub of Nyirol County, early Wednesday en route to a regional church conference in Motot, Uror County. Organisers say the annual Christian Temple gathering aims to promote reconciliation among Jonglei’s fractured communities through prayer and dialogue. Ambush Near Tut Payam At 9 a.m., gunmen emerged near Tut Payam and opened fire to halt the convoy, according to Commissioner Peter Gatkuoth Koang. Witnesses report that a boy and a girl, both under two years, were snatched from their mothers while other worshippers, mostly women and children, were…

High-Level October Diplomacy In October, Juba placed foreign engagement at the heart of its agenda, weaving economics and peace into a single narrative (Eye Radio, 25 Oct 2024). Officials argue the strategy showcases South Sudan’s readiness to court investors while strengthening multilateral security guarantees. Presidential Outreach to the UAE President Salva Kiir’s visit to Abu Dhabi spotlights energy, agriculture, and infrastructure opportunities, with Emirati interlocutors signalling interest in oil services and solar power projects. Government aides report talks on visa facilitation and direct flights, elements seen as critical to converting memoranda into concrete capital flows. Renewed Dialogue with Sudan Foreign…

Juba Conference Highlights Gender Gap in Skies In Juba, the third Women in Aviation Conference convened state, financial, and diplomatic leaders, who framed gender inclusion as a pillar for secure skies and wider national progress. Governor Mujung Calls for Barrier Removal Central Equatoria Governor Emmanuel Rabi Mujung urged government, business and civil society to dismantle obstacles hindering female professionals, urging partners to fund upskilling programmes that move women from tarmac edges into cockpit and control tower. Central Bank Links Equality to Reforms Bank of South Sudan Governor Dr. Addis Ababa Othow linked inclusion to the country’s reform agenda, promising institutional…

Trailblazing Victory in Kampala The Bright Stars, South Sudan’s national blind football squad, defeated Uganda 3–0 in Kampala, clinching the first East African Blind Football Championship and drawing cheers from a stadium adjusting to the rattle of a bell-filled ball. Coach Simon Madol Akol called the win “a signal that disability is no barrier to excellence” as players moved a step closer to their ambition of appearing at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. Sport as Social Inclusion in South Sudan Formed only five years ago with two volunteers, the team now gathers forty athletes from Juba to Wau,…

Rising Alarm in Juba United Nations investigators cautioned the General Assembly that South Sudan’s transitional roadmap is fraying, citing renewed violence, political detentions and airstrikes in civilian zones, trends that Commissioner Barney Afako warned “point to a slide back toward another deadly war.” Mounting clashes unsettle fragile peace Field reports from the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan describe intensified combat since March, displacing more than 370,000 people inside the country and forcing still others across porous borders, casting doubt on the durability of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement signed to silence guns. Human cost behind the numbers Chair…

Remembering the 2013 Self-Determination Vote On 31 October, the Abyei Area Administration will shutter offices across the territory, turning the day into a symbolic pause. The closure commemorates the 2013 referendum in which the Ngok Dinka chose, by reported 99 percent, to align with South Sudan (Eye Radio). Holiday Logistics and Scope Information Minister Yohanna Akol confirmed that government ministries, UN agencies, and private firms will suspend operations. He described the directive as inclusive, stressing that “no desk will stay open, because reflection involves everyone” (Eye Radio). Civil Society Leads Celebrations Unlike previous anniversaries steered by officials, this year’s program…

Crime Concerns in Torit Residents of Torit, Eastern Equatoria, have endorsed a youth-run policing project after a day-long public dialogue moderated by the Support Peace Initiative and Development Organisation, SPIDO. The scheme aims to stem a recent uptick in street robberies, rape cases and gang intimidation reported across Torit County. Building Community Policing Framework Under the plan, volunteer patrols of vetted youths will roam neighbourhoods and arterial roads, particularly at night, to deter offenders and report incidents directly to police. Those caught robbing travellers face detention in Torit prison, while suspects in sexual violence will be handed to prosecutors without…

Statewide Firearms Sweep Acting Information Minister William Koji Kerjok told reporters in Rumbek that security units have begun collecting civilian weapons in Wulu, Cueibet, Rumbek East and other hubs. Koji declined to disclose early figures, stressing that numbers would be shared once the multistage operation ends and verification is complete. Red-Line on Guns in Towns Koji reiterated that carrying firearms inside urban areas is strictly forbidden. He warned that youthful cattle herders who enter markets armed risk immediate arrest and prosecution under state law. Targeting Illegal Alcohol Alongside the weapons sweep, forces are seizing and destroying homemade spirits already outlawed…

Capacity programme aligns ministries around service goals More than forty senior officials assembled in Juba this week for an intensive capacity-building course designed to sharpen coordination, planning and delivery within key South Sudanese institutions. IOM and University of Juba champion local ownership The International Organization for Migration partnered with the University of Juba’s School of Public Service to ensure the initiative remains anchored in domestic expertise, underpinning the Government’s Enhancing Community Resilience and Local Governance Project Phase II. Training modules target finance, projects and resilience Sessions cover budgeting, financial planning and project management—areas highlighted by the 2024 Technical Capacity Needs…