Government and Politics of South Sudan

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Sudan dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Executive Branch

South Sudan operates as a presidential republic, in which the president serves as both head of state and head of government. The country's executive structure was established under the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, adopted in 2011 following independence from Sudan. Salva Kiir Mayardit has served as president since South Sudan's independence on July 9, 2011, and previously held the position of President of the Government of Southern Sudan beginning in 2005 under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. He is a member of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), the dominant political party that led the southern independence movement. Kiir is recognized by his trademark black cowboy hat, a gift from former U.S. President George W. Bush that has become his political signature. The vice presidency has been a position of significant political complexity in South Sudan, shaped largely by the country's civil conflict. Under the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), a Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity was established, incorporating multiple vice presidential positions to accommodate rival factions. Riek Machar, leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), has served as First Vice President as part of this power-sharing arrangement, though the relationship between Kiir and Machar has historically been volatile, contributing to the civil war that erupted in 2013. The executive branch also includes a Council of Ministers, appointed by the president, which is responsible for carrying out government policy and administering the various ministries of state. Cabinet appointments have often reflected the ethnic and factional balancing required by the peace agreements, as South Sudan navigates a fragile transitional political environment. Executive authority in South Sudan remains heavily centralized around the presidency, and the country continues to function under transitional governance frameworks rather than a fully normalized constitutional order. Elections, which were scheduled for 2023, have been repeatedly postponed as the nation works through ongoing peace implementation challenges.

Legislative Branch

South Sudan's legislative branch is structured as a bicameral parliament known as the Transitional National Legislature, established under the terms of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed in September 2018. This transitional framework was designed to guide the country through a peace process following years of devastating civil conflict. The Transitional National Legislature consists of two chambers: the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) and the Council of States. The Transitional National Legislative Assembly is the lower house and serves as the primary legislative body, responsible for passing laws, approving the national budget, and providing oversight of the executive branch. Under the transitional arrangements, the TNLA was expanded to accommodate representatives from various parties to the peace agreement, bringing its membership to 550 seats. These seats were distributed among the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), opposition factions, former armed movements, and other political parties as stipulated by the peace deal. The Council of States functions as the upper chamber and represents South Sudan's ten states, with each state sending a delegation of representatives. The Council plays a role in reviewing legislation, particularly matters affecting the states and subnational governance. South Sudan held its first post-independence elections in December 2010, before formal independence in July 2011, but subsequent electoral cycles were interrupted or delayed due to the outbreak of civil war in December 2013 and the ongoing political instability that followed. As a result, the legislative structures in place have remained transitional in nature, with members appointed or allocated through negotiated political agreements rather than through popular elections. National elections have been repeatedly postponed, with timelines subject to ongoing negotiation among political stakeholders and international partners. The legislature operates under a constitutional framework initially defined by the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011, which outlines the powers, responsibilities, and structure of the legislative branch. Lawmakers are tasked with developing permanent governance institutions, though the full realization of a stable, elected parliament remains a key benchmark in the country's broader peace and state-building process.

Capital City

Juba

Location

04 51 N 31 37 E

Time Difference

UTC+2 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

the name derives from Djouba, another name for the Bari people of South Sudan

U.S. Embassy, Juba Kololo Road, Tongping Juba, South Sudan Telephone: +211 912 105 188 The U.S. Embassy in Juba is only able to offer very limited emergency services to U.S. citizens in South Sudan at this time. Routine consular services are available at the U.S. embassies in Kampala, Uganda, and Nairobi, Kenya. See the following websites for information: http://kampala.usembassy.gov ; http://nairobi.usembassy.gov.

Military Branches

Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA)

Service Age and Obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service; the Government of South Sudan signed a revised action plan with the UN in March 2012 to demobilize all child soldiers within the SPLA; UNICEF reported 250 confirmed cases of the SPLA's association with children at the end of 2012