Author: The South Sudan Herald

UN Security Council Alarm Over Peace Deal At a tense Security Council briefing, Acting United States envoy to the UN, Ambassador Dorothy Shea, faulted South Sudan’s transitional leaders for what she termed a de facto abandonment of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement, stirring vigorous debate among council members and observers. Conflict Toll in Latest UN Report Her intervention drew on the Secretary-General’s latest report detailing aerial and ground clashes between April and July that displaced more than 300,000 people and claimed hundreds of civilian lives, with investigators documenting sexual violence and child recruitment in several hotspots. Refugee Spillover and Humanitarian Access…

Record Returnees Reach Eastern Equatoria In just ten days, 2,225 people crossed the border from Kenya to South Sudan, according to the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Torit. The influx comes on top of roughly 4,000 arrivals registered since July, stretching the state’s modest services. Why Families Are Leaving Kakuma Interviews with returnees point to rising living costs in Kakuma and a renewed confidence in security back home. “We felt it was time to rebuild on our own soil,” said Nyandeng Lado, who travelled with her three children after eight years in the camp. Demographics and Destinations Torit County alone…

High-Level Shake-Up in Juba State television interrupted its evening music slot to read four presidential decrees removing top economic officials and restoring former ministers Athian Diing Athian and Joseph Mum Majak to the finance and investment posts. The announcement, delivered by broadcaster SSBC, also named Garang Majak Bol as first undersecretary, signaling a full reset at the ministry of finance and planning. Economic Headwinds Pressure Policy The reshuffle arrives as the South Sudanese Pound trades near record lows, while markets grapple with fuel scarcity and erratic commodity prices. Bank of South Sudan governor Dr Addis Ababa Othow recently told lawmakers…

Digital leap for South Sudan banking On Monday, the Bank of South Sudan pulled the curtain off its new South Sudan Interbank Payment and Settlement System, SSIPSS, a platform officials view as the most ambitious digital upgrade since the country’s currency debuted twelve years ago (Aguok Chok). Speaking in Juba, National Payment System Director Akum David Sabahker called the launch “a transformative initiative designed to modernise and secure the nation’s financial backbone,” underscoring a drive to unshackle daily payments from manual ledgers and over-the-counter delays. Real-Time Rails: RTGS and ACH take the stage At the heart of SSIPSS sits a…

Revenue Authority reinforces compliance At the Juba headquarters, Commissioner General Simon Akuei Deng held up the redesigned Form 15, its watermark glinting under studio lights. He stressed that only this version now carries legal weight for every tax receipt issued across South Sudan. Akuei described the form as the backbone of daily revenue flows. “Each slip feeds hospitals, schools and roads,” he said, noting that any leak through counterfeit forms deprives citizens of essential public goods. Enhanced security features unveiled The new Form 15 carries serialised barcodes, micro-print lines and heat-sensitive ink. According to the printing contractor, these measures meet…

Women’s Charter Reaches Review Commission South Sudan’s National Constitutional Review Commission this week received the long-awaited Women’s Charter, a 30-page document shaped over months of grassroots dialogue and policy workshops across all ten states and three administrative areas. Women’s networks describe the charter as a historic claim to equal citizenship, designed to anchor gender justice in the forthcoming permanent constitution and prevent any return to marginalisation experienced during earlier transitional arrangements. Key Demands for Gender-Responsive Governance Twelve priority chapters call for guaranteed 35 percent female representation at every decision-making level, free maternal health services, compulsory girls’ education, equitable land rights,…

Regional cash controls tighten Across Central and East Africa, regulators are refining rules on cross-border cash flows to curb illicit finance and bolster monetary stability. The latest move comes from the Bank of South Sudan, but analysts note similar conversations in Brazzaville, Libreville and Kinshasa. Inside the Bank of South Sudan directive Effective 20 August 2025, anyone entering or leaving South Sudan with USD 10,000 or more must file a written declaration at the border. Travelers also need paperwork proving the origin and purpose of the funds, ranging from bank withdrawal slips to supplier invoices, before customs officers stamp the…

South Sudan’s Border Jitters Recent skirmishes between South Sudanese and Ugandan troops in Kajo-Keji revived old anxieties about porous frontiers. Lawmakers inside the Transitional National Legislative Assembly say the clashes spotlight a deeper dilemma—defending sovereignty while under a UN Security Council arms embargo renewed in May. Embargo and Military Readiness MP Bona Deng Lawrence argued that “sovereignty is not only protected by laws, but also by power,” warning that shortages of ammunition weaken deterrence. He compared South Sudan to global heavyweights, noting that powers like the United States, China and Russia seldom face territorial intrusions. Perceived Invitation to Encroachment Deng…

Election countdown heightens spotlight on media rights With South Sudan’s first nationwide ballot since independence slated for December 2026, newsrooms say the contest cannot be credible without unfettered reporting. Journalists argue that voters deserve detailed policy scrutiny rather than rumor, yet they still navigate official gatekeepers and economic headwinds. Editors urge cooperation with Media Authority Catholic Radio Network chief editor Chuol Jany told Eye Radio that regulators should become ‘an institution helping media houses to prosper’ instead of bottlenecks. He believes constructive dialogue with the Media Authority can widen civic space without eroding state stability, an approach echoed by several…

Leadership Hand-Over in Juba In a ceremony at Juba Football House, outgoing South Sudan Football Federation president Gen. Agustino Maduot passed the presidential medallion to successor Amin Francis. The event, attended by club delegates, national players and government sport officials, symbolised continuity after a competitive yet orderly election earlier this month. Maduot’s Four-Year Legacy Maduot highlighted the launch of the South Sudan Premier League, expansion of youth academies, and the first FIFA-sanctioned women’s league as signature achievements despite pandemic-era budget shocks. “We have shown football can unite Wau, Malakal and Yei supporters under one flag,” he told journalists, pledging technical…