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South Sudan’s first mobile network operator Mobile network operator in South Sudan

In an attempt to quiet critics in the north and consolidate his power, then-Sudanese President Jaafar al-Nimieri introduced new legal measures in 1983 that removed power from the southern regions to govern themselves. The peace deal included power-sharing agreements, security guarantees, and political and economic autonomy for the south. The fighting resulted in the death of half a million people, mostly civilians, and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

Food insecurity and malnutrition remain alarmingly high, exacerbated by persistent localised violence, widespread displacement, and recurring floods that have devastated livelihoods and agricultural production. So, these tribes are the eight tribes who speak one language with slight differences, Kutuk, although they all have different traditional dances. In terms of tribes in Central Equatoria, we have Mundari of Terekeka County, the Pojulu of Lainya, Wonduruba and Tijor counties combined, and the Bari of Juba County, who are the largest.

A national archive, Jok thought, could help solidify a national identity and preserve the country’s cultural heritage for future generations. At the time, South Sudan was perhaps the only country in the world without any cultural institutions (even Somalia has at least two museums). In 2011, South Sudan declared independence from Sudan, splitting Africa’s largest country in two. In twice-weekly cultural heritage classes, he tries to ensure that a generation raised in refugee camps will inherit the folktales, dances, and history of their ancestors. Three years later, he lives and teaches amid a sprawl of white tarp-covered huts and teahouses in the heavily guarded Protection of Civilian camp in Juba, the capital city.

DR Congo: Crackdown on Protesters

Meet the archivists, folklorists, and curators fighting to preserve South Sudan’s history—and end its civil war. In Nyatim, Nyirol county, for example, about 3,000 displaced people who fled violence in Lankien and Pieri are sheltering in swamp areas without food or medical care, with ongoing government blocks on aid access, MSF said. In the first two months of the year the government-imposed a no-flight zone in opposition-held areas, including Lankien, Pieri, and Akobo, preventing the delivery of critical supplies and lifesaving evacuation of critically ill patients, the UN and MSF reported. UN Children’s Fund reported the suspension of at least 28 health and nutrition facilities and 17 incidents of looting of humanitarian supplies between January and March. On the same day, armed fighters looted an MSF health facility in Pieri, Uror county. On January 16, it ordered civilians and aid workers in “designated areas” including Bor, Duk, and Poktap, to vacate areas near military bases within 72 hours.

“Many young people migrate when they’re very young and have no cultural guidance,” he says. People often came over to learn about the customs of South Sudan’s many tribes. But Abuk and the actors in his theater troupe have now started teaching the art of storytelling to children, weaving in morals of tolerance and reconciliation during performances in the country’s displaced-persons camps. “The rulers of South Sudan are not guided by cultural values.” The river agreed—on the condition that she not eat its children, the fish.

Ataui Deng

• You can also browse our phone directory by area code to find numbers in specific regions.
• Put simply, SSR is a process that aims to structure a state’s security services in a way that best meets the security needs of citizens and the state.
• A team was formed to assess South Sudan’s bid; however, in April 2014, the nation requested a delay in the admissions process, presumably due to South Sudanese Civil War.
• In 2025, violence expanded across South Sudan as ceasefire violations and fighting between government forces and opposition groups intensified in Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile states.
• Her presence challenges colorist standards and broadens the narrative around what beauty looks like globally.

At the core of this policy was the notion that facilitating access of key belligerents to social status and material benefits in exchange for political acquiescence would create greater stability.6 This was, in part, because President Salva Kiir adopted a “Big Tent” policy that integrated political opponents into the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). Put simply, SSR is a process that aims to structure a state’s security services in a way that best meets the security needs of citizens and the state. As a building block to SSR, the ARCSS mandates a Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) to be undertaken by a multistakeholder Strategic Defence and Security Review Board (SDSRB).1 The SDSR process should generate a comprehensive SSR framework, which when implemented, will radically transform the security sector in South Sudan. One way to save our children from going through that is by reminding them how we got here.” In Juba, a dancing, acting, and singing group called the Black Star Cultural Dancers re-creates traditional dances for performances.

The name Sudan is a name given to a geographical region to the south of the Sahara, stretching from Western Africa to eastern Central Africa. The South Sudanese population is composed mostly of Nilotic peoples spanning a variety of ethnic and linguistic groups.

South Sudan, 15 years on: Still fighting for peace

The largest communities of the South Sudanese diaspora are located in North America, Western Europe and Oceania. From 2018 onward, between 5 million and 6 million people were regularly classified in crisis or emergency phases, driven by ongoing insecurity, displacement, economic decline, erratic rainfall, flooding, and pest outbreaks. Around 4.9 million people required urgent assistance, and more than one million children were acutely malnourished.

Then there is also the Direr or Nubi, these people are a collection of tribes and their religion is Islam. They were at first were pastoralists, and then diverged as pastoralists and agriculturalists. Some of the tribes like Avokaya of Yei County, Lugbara and Keliko of Morobo speak one language with slight differences except Mundo and Baka which speak different languages.

• It was planned that the capital city would be changed to the more centrally located Ramciel.
• UN Children’s Fund reported the suspension of at least 28 health and nutrition facilities and 17 incidents of looting of humanitarian supplies between January and March.
• At the time, South Sudan was perhaps the only country in the world without any cultural institutions (even Somalia has at least two museums).

This is a platform introduced by the Ministry of Justice to automate manual processes, increase accessibility to its

For weeks soldiers in Juba killed and raped with impunity, targeting minority tribes, foreign aid workers, and local journalists. They imagined that someday tourists would flock to the Sudd, one of the world’s largest marshlands, or Boma National Park, home to an annual antelope migration that rivals the Serengeti’s. After a promising ceasefire in 2015, South Sudan began picking up the pieces of unfinished cultural projects. Five days after the fighting started, the complex—originally a UN base—swelled to hold 20,000 people. But now, with violence looming again, many of these craftspeople have fled their homes.

Foreign relations

In 2025, violence expanded across South Sudan as ceasefire violations and fighting between government forces and opposition groups intensified in Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile states. Although both men have supporters from across South Sudan’s ethnic divides, subsequent fighting has been communal, with rebels targeting members of Kiir’s Dinka ethnic group and government soldiers attacking Nuers. Of South Sudan’s ethnic groups the Dinka are the largest, the Nuer the second-largest, the Azande the third-largest, and the Bari the fourth-largest.

The Cultural Guardian

Duckie Thot became a global sensation thanks to her flawless skin, high cheekbones, and doll-like appearance. Her return to fashion marked a new chapter in her career, where she now walks runways and participates in more culturally inclusive campaigns. Alek’s presence in the fashion industry shifted the global perception of beauty. Aliet Sarah represents a new generation of South Sudanese models taking over global fashion. The image went viral, and soon after, she was signed by a major modeling agency.

Foreign relations

The Boma-Jonglei Landscape region encompasses Boma National Park, broad pasturelands and floodplains, Bandingilo National Park, and the Sudd, a vast area https://investinyourself.in/ of swamp and seasonally flooded grasslands that includes the Zeraf Wildlife Reserve. South Sudan’s protected area of Bandingilo National Park hosts the second-largest wildlife migration in the world. About 400,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the war, including notable atrocities such as the 2014 Bentiu massacre. Inter-ethnic warfare in some cases predates the war of independence and is widespread.

Staff at DR Congo Ebola centre strike as virus continues spreading

The state’s capital, Juba, is also the national capital of South Sudan. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher says hunger is tightening its grip amid rising humanitarian needs and intensifying fighting. She’s often called upon for shoots that require elegance, cultural pride, and narrative storytelling. Mari has walked for major fashion houses and appeared in both music videos and humanitarian campaigns. Her presence challenges colorist standards and broadens the narrative around what beauty looks like globally. Her unique beauty and signature pout set her apart, while her quiet activism for mental health has also earned her respect within the community.

Nearly eight million people in South Sudan at risk of acute hunger: NGOs

Their presence on the runway isn’t just about fashion; it’s a statement about representation and the global shift toward inclusivity. South Sudan might be the youngest country in the world, but its impact on global fashion is anything but juvenile. Jal, a former child soldier turned musician, received good airplay and album reviews in the UK and has also been sought out for the lecture circuit with major talks at popular talkfests like TED. Most South Sudanese value knowing one’s tribal origin, its traditional culture and dialect even while in exile and diaspora. These conditions were further aggravated by disease outbreaks, limited access to health care, and inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene services. By November 2025, the continued arrivals, alongside returning South Sudanese nationals, placed additional pressure on already strained markets, services, and natural resources, while a prolonged economic crisis sharply reduced household purchasing power.

History

Communities that have already been weakened by years of crisis now face another cycle of deprivation and despair. The findings highlight that violence is the primary driver of hunger in South Sudan. Between July 2025 and June 2026, 2.11 million children aged 6–59 months and 1.15 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are expected to suffer acute malnutrition and be in urgent need of nutrition services and treatment.

The country’s health burden includes widespread malaria, recurrent cholera outbreaks, food insecurity, and undernutrition. Even before independence, South Sudan had among the worst health indicators in the world, a situation that has persisted since then. South Sudan has one of the weakest health systems in the world, marked by a severely weakened public health system, shortages of qualified health workers, and restricted access to care. In 2025, UNICEF reported that around 3 million children were out of school, limiting their access to education and future opportunities. Unlike the previous educational system of the regional Southern Sudan—which was modelled after the system used in the Republic of Sudan since 1990—the current educational system of the Republic of South Sudan follows the 8 + 4 + 4 system (similar to Kenya). As in other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Christianity is often blended with traditional beliefs.

The design, planning, and construction of the city was supposed to take as many as five years, government ministers said, and the move of national institutions to the new capital was supposed to be implemented in stages. Ramciel is considered to be the geographical centre of the country, and the late pro-independence leader John Garang allegedly had plans to relocate the capital there before his death in 2005. This proposal is functionally similar to construction projects in Abuja, Nigeria; Brasília, Brazil; and Canberra, Australia; among other modern-era planned national capitals. It was planned that the capital city would be changed to the more centrally located Ramciel. The largest protected area is the Sudd Wetland, which is an important bird life area covering 57,000 km2 (22,000 sq mi).

Inside the world’s largest flower market—the likely source of your Valentine’s bouquet

As of February 2014, South Sudan was host to over 230,000 refugees, with the vast majority, over 209,000, having arrived recently from Sudan, because of the War in Darfur. This included about 1.66 million internally displaced people (IDPs), an estimated 53.4% of whom were children, and nearly 644,900 refugees in neighbouring countries. By April 2026, more than 1.3 million people had entered South Sudan, including 900,000 South Sudanese returnees. In 2026, South Sudan remained in a severe humanitarian crisis, with around 10 million people, about two-thirds of the population, estimated to need humanitarian assistance. As of December 2017, an estimated 42% of the South Sudanese population was facing severe security conditions, with most of the affected being young people and children. Conflict and insecurity have further weakened the health system by damaging facilities, reducing access to basic services, and restricting humanitarian access.

By 2014 and 2015, about one third of the population faced crisis or emergency levels. Early conditions fluctuated between stressed and crisis levels, with localized emergencies along the Sudan border. Food insecurity has been a persistent and recurrent crisis in South Sudan since independence in 2011.

Inside the world’s largest flower market—the likely source of your Valentine’s bouquet

On December 27, 2025, the SPLA/IO warned civilians in northern Jonglei to flee to towns under opposition control including Pieri, Motot, and Palony. Following the order, most of the population fled, including 110,000 people into neighboring Ethiopia. Deliberate, targeted attacks on civilians and civilian property, unlawful killings, and sexual violence may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. Forces from both sides have reportedly committed abuses, including killings and raping of civilians, as well as looting and burning of civilian property, Human Rights Watch said. Currently, World Vision is conducting rapid emergency assessments in Western Equatoria, where a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation following renewed political tensions and violent clashes between opposing armed groups, displacing over 150,000 civilians. We continue to work alongside the government, partners, and local communities to protect children and help families rebuild their lives with safety and dignity.

Other religions include various traditional indigenous belief systems, and Islam. Sudanese Arabic, the prevailing dialect in Sudan, has approximately 460,000 speakers, primarily in the northern regions of South Sudan; it has been described as the de facto language of national identity. The most common languages are Dinka (1.35 million), Nuer (740,000), Bari (595,000), and Zande (420,000), which are collectively spoken by approximately 60% of the population; other major indigenous languages include Murle, Luo, Ma’di, and Otuho. The majority of languages spoken in South Sudan are classified within the Nilo-Saharan Language family, specifically the subbranches of Nile Sudanic and Central Sudanic; most of the remainder are part of the Adamawa-Ubangi branch of the Niger-Congo family.