Author: The South Sudan Herald

A Financial Freeze with Global Ripples Washington’s 9 December sanctions froze assets linked to Colombian firm A4SI and its founder, former commando Alvaro Andres Quijano Becerra. U.S. officials say the network funnels Latin American veterans to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, tightening financial pressure on a conflict already unsettling the Red Sea corridor. Who Runs the Pipeline? Investigators traced wire transfers from the United Arab Emirates to families in Cali and Medellín, mapping what the U.S. Treasury brands a “shadow infrastructure”. Quijano Becerra’s wife handled administration, while associate Diego Noa ensured salaries reached households dependent on the risky overseas contracts. Gulf…

Fragile Health Facilities in Magwi County Obbo Primary Health Care Centre in Eastern Equatoria shows the strain facing South Sudan’s public clinics. Mattresses thin, beds rusting, and patients purchasing their own gloves typify conditions reported across Magwi County. Government allocation to health remains under two percent of the national budget, leaving only 1.4 facilities and 7.6 workers for every 10,000 residents, according to UNFPA estimates. The Community Safety Net of TBAs Traditional Birth Attendants such as 67-year-old Akello Lina still answer urgent calls despite official discouragement. Trained in the 1980s and during exile in Uganda, she now serves without pay,…

Diplomatic Worries Over Port of Mombasa Surcharge South Sudan’s government says Kenya’s newly introduced USD5,000 security levy on every South Sudan-bound container risks choking bilateral commerce. Juba officials fear mounting queues at Mombasa port could interrupt the landlocked nation’s fuel, cement and food supplies, heightening inflationary pressures already felt after years of conflict. Inside Juba’s Emergency Trade Meeting Trade and Industry Minister Atong Kuol Manyang convened ministers, customs chiefs and private-sector leaders in Juba to frame a response. She told colleagues the surcharge is “an unfair burden on our traders” and urged urgent diplomacy to restore fluid transit along the…

Rising Reports of Abandonment Western Equatoria State’s lawmakers say neglect of expectant mothers has become “a dangerous increase” threatening social stability (Radio Tamazuj). Speaker Ann Tuna Richard notes women now shoulder single parenthood across the state after partners “behave as if they have no duty.” Inside the Draft Law The bill cleared first reading and sets a minimum five-year prison term for any man refusing to support a pregnant partner or child. When paternity is denied, the draft permits a child to carry the mother’s family name, ensuring access to documentation and services without bureaucratic hurdles. Education and Health at…

Local Fund Sets $4.13 Million Ambition On 9 December 2025, Juba-based Local Response Pooled Fund unveiled its 2025-2027 roadmap, seeking to raise 4.13 million dollars to steer a locally driven humanitarian system in South Sudan. The blueprint prioritises health, education, food security, livelihoods, climate resilience and rule-of-law support, areas repeatedly flagged in national needs assessments. Capacity Building and Direct Grants Program Lead Tabani David said the fund would channel technical assistance alongside cash, arguing that “capacity enhancement is essential if members are to respond to all the needs” (Tabani David). Under the plan, local organisations could access direct grants for…

Fatal Attack Sends Shock Through Yei A quiet Sunday night turned tragic in Yei River County when unidentified assailants fatally stabbed Senior Three student Emmanuel Kanjo Kennedy, a promising footballer at Immanuel Model Secondary School, and left another man critically injured. The Central Equatoria State Civil Society Network (CESCSN) labeled the assault “ruthless,” stressing that it violated the right to life enshrined in South Sudan’s Transitional Constitution. Residents say it is the third knife attack on young men reported this month, deepening public anxiety. Civil Society Demands Transparent Justice In a statement, CESCSN urged an immediate, impartial investigation to identify…

Fast-Track Secondary Learning South Sudan’s Ministry of General Education and Instruction has unveiled condensed textbooks that squeeze four years of secondary lessons into two, promising wider, quicker access to quality learning through the Accelerated Secondary Education Program and new Intensive English Courses (launch event). Minister Dr Kuyok Abol Kuyok called the initiative “a successful pathway for teachers who previously missed opportunities,” stressing that trained, qualified teachers anchor any effort to raise classroom standards across the country (Dr Kuyok). Teacher Development at the Core About 3,433 volunteer primary teachers, 1,193 of them women, are currently enrolled in 58 ASEP centres, working…

Peace Rally in Pading Draws Crowds Thousands of residents from Nyirol County converged on Pading over the weekend to hear Governor Dr Riek Gai Kok outline his vision for healing, unity and local development in Jonglei State. Elders, youth leaders and clergy shared messages of reconciliation. Peace Push Faces Symbolic Slip Midway through the cultural performances, observers noticed the South Sudanese flag flying upside down beside the podium. Photos captured the error, quickly spreading online and overshadowing parts of the day’s carefully choreographed peace messaging. Governor’s Swift Apology On Tuesday, the Governor’s Office released a communiqué acknowledging full responsibility for…

Fresh Partnership Between Juba and Dakar Plans for a cooperation agreement between the South Sudan Football Federation and its Senegalese counterpart moved closer after SSFF president Francis Amin returned from the United States with what he called a ‘near-final text ready for signatures.’ Sharing Senegal’s Winning Formula Senegal, Africa’s reigning powerhouse, will open its coaching curricula and youth academy blueprints to South Sudan. Amin said the objective is to ‘seed local talent with proven methods’ while fast-tracking licensing courses for domestic trainers. Lighting Up Juba Stadium On the World Cup draw sidelines, Amin secured FIFA’s commitment to finish floodlighting Juba…

Foreign Troops Stir New Debate in Juba A routine session of South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly shifted focus after lawmakers demanded the withdrawal of Ugandan People’s Defence Forces operating inside the country, stating that no parliamentary mandate had ever been granted to Kampala’s troops. Their request emerged during debate on a joint committee report tracking the April–June 2025 implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, an exercise meant to audit security benchmarks. Parliament Questions Legality of UPDF Presence Legislators from both the SPLM and SPLM-IO argued that the executive bypassed constitutional procedures by inviting a foreign army without consulting elected…