Author: The South Sudan Herald

Foreign Ministry Weekly Briefings Plan South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that it will meet the press every Thursday from 4 September as part of a new transparency drive. Officials say the regular slot will offer verified updates on diplomatic engagements and quickly correct what they call “misinformation” before it gains traction online or on community radios. Gaza Resettlement Rumors Addressed The ministry once again labeled reports of talks to host Palestinians displaced from Gaza as “false and unfounded,” stressing that no formal or informal dialogue with Israel or other partners has occurred on the matter. Analysts note…

Peace Deal Called a National Lifeline Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr Martin Elia Lomuro told a Juba symposium that the Revitalized Agreement remains South Sudan’s “most vital roadmap” after years of conflict. He argued that the pact has largely silenced guns and restored a measure of political calm. Implementation Milestones and Gaps Key provisions—unified forces, financial reforms, and electoral groundwork—have slipped past several deadlines. Lomuro conceded that implementation is arduous, yet insisted shared responsibility between state, church, and civil society keeps the accord on course. Observers warn citizens need quicker, tangible results. China’s Visible Footprint Praising Beijing’s “practical friendship,” Lomuro highlighted…

Tokyo Talks Fuel South Sudan Investor Drive At Juba International Airport, Foreign Affairs Minister Monday Semaya Kumba voiced optimism after returning from TICAD 9 in Yokohama. He publicly invited Japanese industrial groups to survey South Sudan’s frontier economy, calling the moment “an opening for mutual prosperity.” Mining, Agriculture and Beyond Await Capital Minister Kumba outlined mining, fisheries, agriculture, tourism, trade and transport as immediate entry points for Japanese firms, stressing the nation’s underexploited resources and strategic Nile corridor. Analysts in Juba argue that early movers could replicate success stories seen in neighboring markets, provided stability initiatives continue. TICAD 9’s Broader…

Silent Costs of Reporting in South Sudan Across Juba’s streets, reporters barter phone credit for transport as news tips pile up unanswered. Hunger, not censorship, is muzzling voices. “Our notebooks are full, but our wallets are empty,” sighs veteran editor Joseph Lagu during an evening briefing. Economic Pressures on Newsrooms Post-2013 conflict shrinkage stripped advertising and donor grants, leaving many outlets operating below subsistence. Freelancers often earn under five dollars per story, barely covering a meal, compelling self-censorship to protect irregular patrons or politically connected sponsors. Social Media’s Glittering Mirage Livestreams and dance challenges flood timelines, giving the illusion of…

Border Tensions Rekindle in Magwi County Residents of Pajok Payam in Eastern Equatoria say Ugandan troops entered the Otwilo area on 19 August, detaining two young men and dismantling several homes. The youths were released, yet household goods reportedly vanished, deepening concern among returnees. Uganda People’s Defence Forces officials in Lamwo District were unreachable for comment, but Kampala has previously justified cross-border patrols as anti-smuggling measures. Juba, however, regards any unilateral deployment beyond agreed markers as a violation of sovereignty. Community Testimonies Stress Urgency Pajok community chairperson Ojok Francis Laboke described the incursion as “malicious” and warned that relentless patrols…

Ambitious 33kV Expansion Explained The Juba Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO) has started upgrading its 33-kilovolt substation and distribution lines, calling the move a critical leap toward a smarter, more resilient grid. Engineers are installing new transformers, breakers and automatic reclosers designed to carry heavier loads as household and business demand climbs across the capital. Why Stability Matters for Juba Daily power interruptions have long hampered refrigeration, study hours and small-scale manufacturing in South Sudan’s commercial hub. JEDCO says the reinforced network will limit voltage swings, cut outage duration and unlock nighttime economic activity, supporting the government’s post-conflict recovery agenda. Temporary…

Finance Ministry’s pivotal mandate Few portfolios carry the weight of South Sudan’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. From drafting the national budget to steering tax and monetary policy, the office shapes livelihoods and investor sentiment in equal measure, making its leadership choice a matter of near-existential importance. Seven ministers in five years: what it means President Salva Kiir has changed finance chiefs seven times since 2020, the latest dismissal occurring last Thursday. Analysts view the rapid turnover as an unmistakable signal that the presidency is in search of technical answers, not cosmetic reshuffles. Economist Dr Abraham Maliet calls the…

Civil society assumes the mediator’s mantle South Sudan’s civic actors have unveiled an ambitious homegrown dialogue aimed at unlocking the nation’s long-running political stalemate and restoring public confidence. Thirteen witnesses to the 2018 Revitalized Agreement, led by Community Empowerment for Progress Organization chief Edmond Yakani, say citizens must now mediate between rival leaders. Why earlier frameworks stalled Successive efforts—the Tumaini Initiative, the Rome talks, and local cease-fires—have stumbled on mistrust, financing gaps, and disagreements over security arrangements. Observers note that external facilitation often lost momentum once deadlines slipped, leaving communities exposed to renewed clashes despite formal signatures. Blueprint of National…

Tense Political Landscape in Juba South Sudan’s fragile transition faces another hurdle after retired security general Khamis Abdel-Latif urged President Salva Kiir to replace First Vice President Riek Machar with Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol. The appeal arrives as Machar, co-signatory of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement, remains under house arrest amid a criminal probe that officials insist is apolitical. Kiir Faces Choice Amid SPLM-IO Split Machar’s SPLM-IO fractured in April, producing a Juba-based wing led by Stephen Par and a field faction rallying behind deputy Oyet Nathaniel. State ministers say recognition of Par would keep the 2018 deal alive, yet…

Viral Video From El Fasher Raises Alarms A short, shaky clip uploaded on 18 August shows a Rapid Support Forces officer questioning then shooting a trader nicknamed Uncle Ahmed on a dusty street in El Fasher. The victim’s last words plead for mercy and identify him as Borgo, a non-Arab community member. Within hours, the footage moved from WhatsApp groups to X, triggering local and international condemnation and renewing scrutiny of RSF conduct in Darfur. Geolocation Validates the Crime Scene Independent analysts linked the video to Hai al-Nasr, two kilometres north of Sudanese Armed Forces’ 6th Infantry Division headquarters and…