Author: The South Sudan Herald

Revitalized Peace Agreement under Pressure Signed in 2018, the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan promised power-sharing and security reforms. The fragile accord has delivered relative calm, yet implementation has lagged. Analysts often cite unresolved command structures and delayed elections as key vulnerabilities. Presidential Decrees Redraw the Political Map Late on Wednesday, President Salva Kiir issued decrees removing four senior officials, including First Deputy Speaker Nathaniel Oyet and Deputy Finance Minister Bec George Anyak. Their posts were immediately filled by members of a break-away SPLM-IO faction led by Stephen Par, altering parliamentary arithmetic overnight. Machar’s SPLM-IO…

Sudan Faces Deadliest Cholera Wave Sudan is wrestling with its most severe cholera outbreak in years, tallying nearly 100,000 suspected infections and more than 2,400 deaths since August 2023, according to Médecins Sans Frontières data shared this week. The surge arrives amid nationwide armed clashes that have uprooted millions and damaged water systems, creating fertile ground for water-borne disease even in towns that previously kept cholera at bay. Conflict Compounds Water Shortages Nowhere is the crisis sharper than in Tawila, North Darfur, where the United Nations estimates 380,000 displaced residents survive on roughly three litres of water daily, less than…

A New Chapter for South Sudanese Banking A ceremonial handshake in Abu Dhabi sealed a forward-looking pact between the Bank of South Sudan and the UAE’s central bank this week. The Memorandum of Understanding promises technology transfer, safer payments, and a faster route toward regionally compatible financial services for the world’s youngest nation. Landmark MoU Signals Digital Drive Governor Dr. Addis Ababa Othow and Assistant Governor Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri put pen to paper under the gaze of South Sudan’s Vice-President for the Economic Cluster and UAE Minister of State. Officials framed the accord as a bridge to secure, efficient,…

Historic accord on sovereign currency In Abu Dhabi, governors Khalid Mohammed Balama and Dr Addis Ababa Othow signed a memorandum that hands the UAE’s Omlat security-printing unit responsibility for South Sudan’s new banknotes. Officials described the pact as a “milestone for economic cooperation.” Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan hailed it as proof the Emirates can “support African resilience” while Vice-President Benjamin Bol Mel called it “a vote of confidence in our reforms.” Tackling hyperinflation pressure The South Sudanese pound has lost more than 40 percent of its value this year, according to the Juba-based Ebony Center for Strategic Studies.…

Conflicting Reports on Gaza Relocation Deal On 13 August 2025, Al Jazeera English reported that Israeli officials were exploring the forcible relocation of Palestinians from Gaza to South Sudan, citing unnamed sources familiar with the negotiations. The Independent offered a similar account, asserting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had reached an advanced stage of talks with Juba over potential resettlement. South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs swiftly denied the story, calling it ‘baseless’ and inconsistent with official policy, yet declined to clarify whether informal discussions had ever taken place. Juba’s Diplomatic Tightrope Since independence, South Sudan has balanced relations…

Juba-Tel Aviv Diplomatic Overture South Sudan and Israel unveiled a fresh memorandum of understanding in Juba this week, pledging to expand diplomatic consultations and joint initiatives. The announcement drew immediate regional attention, not least because it arrived amid heightened scrutiny of Gaza’s humanitarian emergency. Key Provisions of the MoU The document, signed by Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel, sets out regular foreign-office dialogues, technology exchanges and possible health collaborations, including support for a pediatric trauma unit already credited with saving dozens of children in Juba. Resettlement Rumours Dismissed Almost simultaneously, international outlets suggested…

Peace Agreement Under Strain President Salva Kiir’s dismissal of several high-profile allies of First Vice-President Riek Machar has reignited debate over the durability of South Sudan’s fragile 2018 peace accord. Signed to halt a five-year civil war, the agreement mandated a unity cabinet, a unified army, and elections now pencilled for late 2024. Details of the Late-Night Decree In a decree aired after midnight on the state broadcaster, Kiir relieved Deputy Finance Minister Bech George Anyak and reshuffled seats in both legislative chambers, installing figures viewed as more sympathetic to the president’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement. Observers say the move…

Rising Tensions in Juba South Sudan’s political chessboard shifted again this week as President Salva Kiir issued a decree removing senior legislators allied with detained First Vice President Riek Machar. Observers describe the decision as the most extensive reshuffle since Machar’s house arrest in March, deepening internal rifts inside the coalition government built by the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement. Key Figures Removed Top on the list was First Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, an outspoken critic now in exile, replaced by Eastern Equatoria lawmaker John Otto Marino. Also dismissed were Council of States Speaker Deng Deng Akoon, chief whip Farouk…

Surprise Wednesday announcement President Salva Kiir Mayardit signed a late-night batch of decrees on Wednesday, triggering a rapid realignment across South Sudan’s cabinet, parliament and foreign missions. The changes, announced on state television, affect figures from both the ruling SPLM and its coalition partner, the SPLM-In Opposition. Government spokesperson Michael Makuei described the overhaul as a routine exercise meant to “inject fresh energy” into the peace roadmap, while critics of timing remain cautious. Finance portfolio swaps hands Bech George Anyak was relieved as Deputy Finance Minister, ending a two-year stint that oversaw painful austerity measures. His seat now belongs to…

Diplomatic Mission Signals Broader Ties Sharren Haskel’s one-day stopover carried the weight of history and ambition. After meeting President Salva Kiir, she called the talks “a strategic reset for both nations,” echoing earlier solidarity forged during South Sudan’s liberation era. Key Sectors: Energy, Agriculture, Water The freshly signed Memorandum of Understanding targets oil, gas, crop technology and water management. Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba said Juba wants “capital plus know-how,” while Israel seeks reliable partners in the Nile Basin market, estimated at millions of consumers. Humanitarian Aid as Soft Power Lever Haskel pledged tonnes of food and medical kits destined…