Author: The South Sudan Herald

Community Policing Gains Momentum In Tonj South, a ten-day Training of Trainers has begun under the second phase of the Kong Koc Project, arming 21 officers from Warrap and Northern Lakes with modern community policing techniques designed to reduce violence and reassure civilians in cattle-herding counties. United Nations Consortium Leads the Charge Funded through the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund, the initiative unites UNDP, WFP, UNMISS, ADRA, Peace Canal, Steward Women and TOCH, combining humanitarian reach with policing expertise to create a replicable model for locally owned safety across conflict-affected payams. Training Tailored to Local Realities Sessions cover crime prevention,…

Rallying Support in Malakal In Malakal, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) praised ongoing efforts to assist families escaping conflict in neighbouring Sudan. Deputy Director General SungAh Lee described the transit operation as a vivid testament to resilience and international solidarity. Funding Gaps and Cooperation Lee acknowledged shrinking humanitarian budgets and appealed for closer coordination with UN agencies, governments and local actors, arguing that collective action is essential to maintain life-saving services at the transit and reception centres. Pathway to Resilience She emphasised that emergency help must evolve into programmes that promote recovery. Infrastructure, basic services and skills training, she…

Chiefs Push for Seat at Peace Table Traditional chiefs across South Sudan say genuine reconciliation requires their customary authority at the negotiating table. Speaking in Juba during a two-day peace conference, they urged policymakers to write their roles into any future framework, alongside women and youth groups. Citing Past Dialogues as Proof of Concept Delegates referenced the Kejiko and Wunlit dialogues, landmark church-facilitated meetings credited with defusing past clan tensions and restoring cross-border trade. Call to Separate Army and Local Governance Paramount Chief Charles Magol cautioned against appointing serving generals as county commissioners, arguing that blurring lines between barracks and…

South Sudan THRIVE Resilience Drive In Juba this week, policymakers and aid leaders gathered around colourful stalls and data dashboards to examine THRIVE, a four-year consortium led by GOAL with Mercy Corps and VSF Suisse. The project reaches eight counties across the Greater Upper Nile, an area repeatedly battered by floods and violence. Organisers estimate that 120,000 households will benefit from livelihood grants, climate-smart farming, and market services designed to keep food and income streams flowing even when roads wash away or conflicts disrupt trade. Integrating Livelihoods and Climate Adaptation THRIVE trainers introduce drought-tolerant seeds, solar irrigation pumps, and savings…

Security Sweep in Jonglei State Security units in Bor Town have launched a coordinated disarmament drive, restricted to urban streets and markets. County commissioner Samuel Ateny Pech insists the mission seeks only illegal firearms, echoing a recent security meeting that ruled out operations in neighbouring payams and villages. Army chief Gen. Paul Nang last week branded the Red Belt youth movement a threat to national security and pledged to dismantle it as part of wider efforts to recover weapons across South Sudan. Why Target the Red Belt The Red Belt emerged recently, presenting itself as a protector of cattle camps…

Violent Assault Highlights Urban Crime Honourable Okello Odontor Lawiri was ambushed by three knife-wielding men after stepping off public transport in Juba, according to fellow MP John Junub Oto (Eye Radio). The attackers struck his back and head, leaving him hospitalised and the assembly in shock. Lawmakers Lacking Official Transport Oto told the chamber that many legislators rely on taxis and boda-boda rides, arguing that the absence of state-provided vehicles exposes them to street crime. Visual evidence of Lawiri’s wounds circulated among members, sparking an urgent procedural debate. Economic Stress and Public Perception Deputy Speaker Parmina Awerial linked the assault…

UN IPC Numbers Paint Stark Picture A new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis projects that 7.5 million South Sudanese could endure acute food insecurity during the 2026 lean season from April to July. The study also finds 28,000 residents of Luakpiny ⁄ Nasir and Fangak counties already in IPC Phase 5, the most severe, indicating household starvation and very high mortality risk. Children and Mothers at Heightened Risk Between July 2025 and June 2026 the IPC projects 2.11 million children under five will suffer acute malnutrition, alongside 1.15 million pregnant or breastfeeding women in need of treatment. Seventy percent…

A Life Spanning Journalism and Politics News of Bona Malwal Madut Ring’s passing at 97 has united South Sudan’s political class in reflection (Standard Zone News). President Salva Kiir Mayardit hailed his “beloved brother” while communities across Bahr El Ghazal lit candles for a man who shaped both newsroom and cabinet. From Twic Mayardit to Global Academe Born in 1928 in Twic Mayardit County, the Dinka scholar left colonial Sudan for Indiana University, gaining a diploma in journalism in 1963. Columbia University followed with economics and communications degrees, anchoring a global outlook that would inform hard-won national debates. Shaping Discourse…

Historic Step Toward Transitional Justice The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs has opened applications for commissioners in the long-awaited Truth, Reconciliation and Healing Commission, mandated to probe civil-war abuses and recommend reparations (Eye Radio, 4 Nov.). Seven commissioners will guide the body; four must be South Sudanese, reflecting a delicate balance between national ownership and international expertise embedded in the 2018 peace accord. Eligibility Criteria Stress Integrity Applicants must show an unblemished criminal record, no history of rights violations or conflict-related sexual violence, and demonstrate high moral character, impartiality and integrity, according to the ministry’s letter. The notice further…

Clashes disrupt Western Equatoria health services Gun battles between the National Salvation Front and SPLA-IO against SSPDF on 24 September forced medical teams to flee Kediba, Western Equatoria. Five clinics were looted, solar panels stripped and more than 30,000 civilians scattered into dense bush, local officials confirmed Tuesday (Radio Tamazuj). Lives lost amid medicine shortages County Health Director Ladu Simon reported three deaths, including two toddlers with severe anaemia. Malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia cases climb during the rainy season, yet pharmacies stand empty, leaving nurses to refer every emergency to Lui Hospital some 40 kilometres away. Authorities and NGOs mobilise…