Safety and security

Crime

The security situation across South Sudan remains volatile. Weapons are plentiful and easily obtained in South Sudan and criminals are often armed. Many armed actors who are without jobs or have not been paid are resorting to criminality. Drive-by thefts by individuals or groups on motorbikes have been reported.

South Sudan is an extremely difficult environment for businesses and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to operate in. Although the number of aid workers killed in targeted attacks has reduced in recent years, South Sudan remains one of the most dangerous operating environments for aid workers in the world. Incidents of violence, intimidation, arbitrary detentions and kidnappings are reported, although these have mostly affected South Sudanese or regional nationals. The FCDO advise against all travel to South Sudan, however if you decide to travel, you should make sure you have carefully considered the threat and have reasonable, proportionate mitigation measures in place.

Local travel

During the rainy season (April to October/November) most roads outside of Juba become impassable, and some parts of the country can become inaccessible.

There are regular reports of intercommunal violence in some parts of the country, and there are sporadic reports of fighting between armed groups in certain areas. Criminal attacks have taken place on the main Juba-Nimule road, which is one of the main supply routes from Uganda into South Sudan. There are reports of mines and unexploded ordnance in parts of the country.

If you’re currently in South Sudan you should exercise your own judgment, based on your knowledge of the local situation, media reporting, or advice from the UN. Our advice is that you should leave South Sudan immediately if it’s safe to do so.

Our ability to provide assistance outside Juba is severely limited. If you’re concerned about your safety, you should contact the FCDO on +44 207 008 5000 or you can submit an enquiry.

Road travel

Driving conditions and standards in South Sudan are well below those in the UK and other European countries. Very few roads are surfaced and maintained, particularly outside Juba. Residential areas usually have dirt roads. At night, there is almost no street lighting and many vehicles have no lights. Roads are used by pedestrians, donkey-carts and rickshaw-style cabs, as well as motor vehicles. Checkpoints, manned by armed men, are common around Juba, especially after dark. There are regular reports of money being demanded from drivers, and of people (especially women) being physically abused at these checkpoints.

The use of public transport should be avoided, due to the unsafe condition of vehicles, the regular occurrence of road traffic accidents (particularly on the Juba-Nimule road), and the high risk of robbery or assault on foreign nationals.

Although drivers should have a licence and insurance, many don’t have these. Make sure you have adequate insurance.

Air travel

You can find a list of incidents and accidents on the website of the Aviation Safety network.

The FCDO can’t offer advice on the safety of every individual airline, but the International Air Transport Association publishes a list of registered airlines that have been audited and found to meet a number of operational safety standards and recommended practices.

This list isn’t exhaustive and the absence of an airline from this list doesn’t necessarily mean that it is unsafe.

Political situation

Following 5 years of internal conflict a peace agreement was signed in 2018 which has led to a significant reduction in violence; but slow and uneven implementation mean that the political and security situation remains volatile. The impact of the conflict, at both a national and local level, combined with a series of natural disasters (including flooding) drives a dire humanitarian situation across the country.

If you choose to remain in the country, maintain a high level of vigilance, follow political developments closely, and observe any curfews in place. In the event of civil disorder, stay at home and restrict your movements as much as possible, especially after dark. You should avoid all protests, political rallies and large gatherings, monitor developments closely and follow the instructions of local authorities and security services.

There are credible reports of border incursions and engagements involving armed actors along all of South Sudan’s frontiers, and you should exercise extreme caution in the country’s border areas. A US-UK journalist was killed in August 2017 near the town of Kaya close to the Ugandan border during a gunfight between government forces and armed rebels.