Author: The South Sudan Herald

South Sudan’s state-owned Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet) is the backbone of the country’s oil-dependent economy, yet it has become synonymous with opacity, patronage and contested leadership. Today, the company is not only struggling with strikes, unpaid wages and internal turmoil; its current Managing Director, Eng. Ayuel Ngor Kacgor, is widely seen as tainted by serious allegations of corruption and mismanagement reported in South Sudanese and regional media, as well as in international governance assessments. A structurally vulnerable company Long before Ayuel Ngor took office, Nilepet was identified as a high-risk institution for corruption and political capture. In April 2018, Global…

A Landmark Tap Opens in Bor Children erupted into cheers as the first stream of treated water flashed from a silver tap in Bor, Jonglei State, last Thursday. For residents long dependent on untreated Nile water, the moment felt like swapping uncertainty for safety. The Bor Urban Water Supply System, launched on 6 November 2025 by UNICEF and South Sudan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, promises reliable, climate-resilient drinking water for more than 96,000 people—roughly the entire urban population. Engineering Built for Climate Shocks Engineers drilled deep boreholes and linked them to solar-powered pumps that feed an elevated 750-cubic-metre…

Climate extremes shut classrooms Repeated floods, droughts and heatwaves are pushing South Sudan’s classrooms to the brink, displacing families and eroding study time, relief agencies warn. More than a million residents across six states are currently affected by flooding, with Jonglei and Unity accounting for the bulk of evacuations, government tallies show. BRACE programme secures US$17 m backing Save the Children, backed by the Green Climate Fund and the Global Partnership for Education, has launched the Building the Climate Resilience of Children and Communities through the Education Sector pilot, known as BRACE, worth US$17 million. The three-year roll-out targets 200,000…

South Sudan Showcases Energy Potential At ADIPEC 2025, South Sudan’s first national pavilion signalled an ambitious pitch to global oil and gas players. Technical Advisor Mohamed Lino explained that the Ministry of Petroleum is positioning open blocks and service contracts as a gateway to frontier reserves. Investor Buzz on Exhibition Floor Lino reported a steady stream of potential suppliers and explorers seeking clarity on fiscal terms and acreage data. “We have already collected a huge number of contacts,” he told journalists, describing the interaction as “an encouraging starting point for negotiations.” Government Voices Highlight Momentum Deputy Head of Mission to…

Fresh Fiscal Vision At a reception in Juba, newly reappointed Finance Minister Dr Bak Barnaba Chol set a brisk tone for his second tenure, pledging tighter spending controls and stronger domestic revenue mobilisation (The Dawn Newspaper). “This time we must focus on increasing collection and reducing spending,” he told officials, framing the programme as a necessary response to prolonged inflation and delayed public salaries. Austerity Explained Chol likened austerity to a security emergency, arguing that difficult moments require “tightening our tools and policies” until stability returns. The ministry will review subsidies, freeze non-essential hiring, and broaden the tax base, particularly…

Cultural renaissance sparks reconciliation Across Upper Nile State, five youth cultural groups are reviving dance, song and folklore to mend social fabric torn during years of unrest. Nuer, Collo, Koma, Maban and Dinka performers now share stages once segregated by fear. International Peace Day celebrations, photographed by UNMISS, captured hundreds of young people clapping in unison, a scene unthinkable a decade ago. Local reporters observed laughter drowning out past grievances. Voices behind the drums Maban troupe chairperson Dawuda Philip told The Dawn that shared performances have replaced tribal exclusivity. “We come from different tribes, but culture reveals our single South…

A Decade of Inclusive Agribusiness A vibrant crowd gathered at the University of Juba to mark the formal hand-over of 2SCALE, the Dutch-funded platform that has steered South Sudan’s agribusiness reforms for thirteen years. According to country team leader Alana Sebit, more than fifty cooperative-minded SMEs and five hundred village women’s groups obtained tailored technical support, creating thousands of paid activities along cereal and legume chains. Women at the Centre of Growth Women’s collectives, once relegated to subsistence roles, now supply formal buyers in Juba and Wau, testimony to what Sebit calls “the multiplier effect of inclusion”. The shift, participants…

Cancer Baseline Begins in Juba A new baseline survey on breast and cervical cancer opened in Juba on 6 November, offering South Sudan’s health sector a rare chance to quantify a disease long considered an invisible foe. Mission 21, the faith-based organisation behind the project, plans to begin fieldwork on 10 November, concentrating on house-to-house screening and knowledge assessments across Juba County. Community Voices at the Centre Country Representative Guliba Florence Hakim said the shift from reaction to prevention is essential: “Early action can alleviate the burden of cancer, transforming fears into hope.” Mixed Methods for Reliable Data Researchers will…

Growing Maternal Needs Inside Malakal PoC A steady stream of pregnant women files through the dusty lanes of Malakal’s Protection of Civilians site, hoping the International Organization for Migration clinic can safeguard their pregnancies. Yet persistent medicine shortages and an overstretched workforce are testing that hope, threatening to undo gains South Sudan has made in maternal health. First-hand Voices From Expectant Mothers Nine month pregnant Abla Lazem says that when prescriptions cannot be filled inside the camp, families must search expensive private pharmacies or go without treatment (Eye Radio). Four month along Najuma James echoes the concern, praising the facility’s…

Envoy Raises Alarm in Juba Endre Stiansen, Norway’s Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, left Juba with a stark message: South Sudan’s 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement is wobbling under renewed violence and shrinking political trust (Eye Radio, 1 Nov 2025). During a three-day tour, the diplomat consulted cabinet members, church leaders, civic activists, United Nations staff and fellow ambassadors, piecing together a picture of escalating clashes and worrying aerial strikes across several regions. Power-Sharing Tested Stiansen warned that the delicate power-sharing formula, cornerstone of the unity government, is fraying as one signatory complains of being sidelined from key decisions,…