Germany shuts South Sudan Embassy amid civil war fears. German Embassy in Kampala, Uganda is open

THE German government said Saturday that it is temporarily shuttering its embassy in Juba, South Sudan amid safety concerns over a deteriorating security situation that is once again on the brink of civil war. The German Embassy in Kampala, Uganda is open as usual for passports etc. Read more.

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Report from Deutsche Welle (DW)
By Richard Connor with AFP, AP, dpa
Edited by Louis Oelofse
Dated Saturday, 22 March 2025 - full copy:

Germany shuts South Sudan embassy amid civil war fears

Berlin says it is temporarily shuttering its embassy in South Sudan amid safety concerns over a deteriorating security situation. Civil war once again looks in the world's youngest country.

Kiir (L) and Machar formed a transitional government but the arrangement now looks shaky. Image: Peter Louis Gume/AFP

The German Foreign Office on Saturday said it would temporarily close its embassy in South Sudan's capital, Juba, in light of renewed and escalating violence.

While President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his erstwhile opponent Riek Machar formed a joint government of national unity in 2020, the accord now threatens to collapse.

What the German government said

"After years of fragile peace, South Sudan is once again on the brink of civil war," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced.

"President Kiir and Vice President Machar are plunging the country into a spiral of violence. They have a responsibility to stop the senseless violence and finally implement the peace agreement," Baerbock continued.

The minister said the safety of employees was the top priority.

Why is South Sudan getting dangerous again?

South Sudan, with a population of around eleven million, went through a bloody civil war — with Kiir and Machar on opposite sides — after gaining independence from its northern neighbor Sudan in 2011.

Although they agreed to form a transitional government after a 2018 peace deal, with Machar as vice president, that arrangement looks perilously close to failing.

For weeks, a militia from the Nuer ethnic group, to which Machar belongs, has been fighting government soldiers on the border with Ethiopia.

The army accuses Machar's party of fueling the conflict, while Machar accuses Kiir of wanting to depose his supporters.

While the fighting is more than 1,300 kilometers (about 800 miles) from the capital, the sparks threaten to spread to other parts of the country. Warring parties in neighboring Sudan are also threatening to intervene.

German diplomats, together with representatives from Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Great Britain, the USA, and the EU, have offered to mediate between Kiir and Machar.

View original: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-shuts-south-sudan-embassy-amid-civil-war-fears/a-72007695

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Related

Report from and by The Associated Press (AP)

Dated Saturday, 22 March 2025 11:43 am - full copy:

Germany closes its embassy in South Sudan as it teeters on the brink of civil war

Image: Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, March 20, 2025. 

Credit: AP/Omar Sanadiki

BERLIN — The German government said Saturday that it is temporarily closing its embassy in South Sudan.

“After years of fragile peace, South Sudan is once again on the brink of civil war,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on social media platform Bluesky.

The crisis team of the German Foreign Office "has therefore decided to close the embassy in the capital Juba for the time being. The safety of the employees has top priority," she added.

Baerbock also wrote that South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his rival, Vice President Riek Machar, “are plunging the country into a spiral of violence. They have a responsibility to stop the senseless violence and finally implement the peace agreement.”

South Sudan has been plagued by political instability and violence since it gained independence from Sudan in 2011.

In 2018, a peace deal signed between Machar and Kiir ended a five-year civil war in which more than 400,000 people were killed. Machar serves as the country’s first vice president in a government of national unity, even though his political group opposes Kiir.

The political rivalry between the two men is widely seen as a major obstacle to peace in South Sudan, with Kiir suspicious of his deputy’s ambitions and Machar calling Kiir a dictator.

Image: Children sit and play on the remains of a tank, at the river port in Renk, South Sudan on May 17, 2023. Credit: AP/Sam Mednick

View original: https://www.newsday.com/news/nation/germany-south-sudan-war-embassy-e94461

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Notice on German Embassy in Juba, South Sudan and Kampala, Uganda

Image source: Violet IKong https://www.linkedin.com/posts/violet-ikong-3b7193166_saesdsudan-activity-7309312344772243456-bv2_

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Report from Deutsche Welle (DW)

By Beni van Essen 1 week ago

Why is South Sudan on edge again?

South Sudan’s security situation is volatile, as civil war-time leadership divisions deepen.

The UN has expressed concern, regional mediators are scrambling and a US evacuation is underway.

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/why-is-south-sudan-on-edge-again/ar-AA1AMtRL

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STATEMENT: The Friends of Sudan Group reiterate steadfast support for UNITAMS and SRSG Perthes

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: The Friends of Sudan Group includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union.

In the Group's June 7th statement copied here below, it reiterates its steadfast support for the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative (SRSG) to Sudan and Head of UNITAMS Dr Volker Perthes and their tireless work to assist the Sudanese people in their aspirations for a civilian transition, freedom, peace and justice. 

Incidentally, the 23 members of the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) in Sudan are: Canada, Sweden, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Brazil, EU Delegation, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, US, UK, and Qatar, as well as UNAMID and the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNICEF as the Secretariat.

Source: Office of the SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/2018/05/group-of-friends-of-children-and-armed-conflict-caac-in-sudan/

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Published at Government Offices of Sweden website

Dated 07 June 2023 - full copy:

Friends of Sudan Group Statement

France, Germany, Norway, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union, as members of the Friends of Sudan, express their deep concern about the ongoing violence and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Sudan, including reports about violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, as well as about widespread looting of humanitarian supplies.

We strongly urge the warring parties to stop the fighting and attacks on civilians, and agree to an effective and sustained ceasefire, to ensure safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access and respect for international humanitarian law, and to work towards a return to the political process. We urgently call on the warring parties to adhere to their commitments agreed in the 11 May Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan and in the ceasefire of 20 May, and to return to the Jeddah dialogue to resolve issues around violations and reach a ceasefire that is respected fully. Humanitarian supplies and workers must be protected to ensure that assistance can reach people in need.

We support all international and regional efforts that work towards a cessation of hostilities and a resolution of this conflict. In this context, we would like to reiterate our steadfast support for the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) and Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Volker Perthes and their tireless work to assist the Sudanese people in their aspirations for a civilian transition, freedom, peace and justice.

We call on the conflict parties to heed to calls of the Sudanese people for freedom, peace and justice by resolving their differences peacefully leading to the restoration of the political dialogue.

View original: https://www.government.se/statements/2023/06/friends-of-sudan-group-statement/

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Report at SudanTribune.com

Dated Monday 12 June 2023 - full copy:

Friends of Sudan express support for UN special envoy

Friends of Sudan meets in Riyadh, on January 18, 2022 SPA

June 12, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Friends of Sudan group has voiced its unwavering support for Volker Perthes, the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy and head of UNITAMS, while strongly denouncing the decision by the Sudanese government to declare him persona non grata.

The military-led government in Sudan made this declaration on June 8, shortly after the renewal of UNITAMS’ mandate for six months, disregarding its demand to replace him.

In a statement released on Monday, Dennis Kumetat, the Spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry for the Middle East and North Africa, representing his country and the Friends of Sudan, unequivocally condemned the Sudanese government’s action against the German diplomat.

“Since the outbreak of hostilities, the UN Special Envoy has been working tirelessly and energetically to campaign for ceasefires, protection of civilians, and humanitarian access to assist the affected local populations. We have full confidence in his ability to continue this crucial work,” Kumetat further stressed.

Perthes will continue to work on Sudan from Nairobi, where he has opened an office.

The statement follows a letter sent on June 9 by Sudan to the African Union, Ethiopia, and various UN specialized agencies, requesting that they refrain from engaging with Perthes. It should be noted that Sudan’s membership in the regional body has been suspended since the coup on October 25, 2021.

Additionally, France and the United States issued separate statements, offering their support to Perthes and condemning the decision of the military-led government in Khartoum.

The US State Department stated on May 27, “SRSG Perthes continues to have our confidence in implementing the UNITAMS mandate and in supporting the Sudanese people to achieve a peaceful and democratic future.”

Similarly, the French foreign ministry stated on June 9, “We commend the continued commitment and tireless work of Mr Volker Perthes and all UNITAMS teams to consolidate peace and support Sudan’s democratic transition, and more recently, to secure a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors.”

The Friends of Sudan group, established by the United States to support Sudan’s democratic transition, includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union.

View original: https://sudantribune.com/article274419/

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Irish army to help evacuate citizens from Sudan

Report from BBC News

Sunday 23 April 2023, 8:24 PM GMT+1 - excerpts:

Irish army personnel to help evacuate citizens from Sudan

The conflict unfolding in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, and other regions has led to evacuations

Personnel from the Irish Defence Forces will be deployed to help evacuate citizens from Sudan.

The measure was approved by the government on Sunday amid a worsening security situation in the African country.

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs said it is in contact with more than 150 Irish citizens in Sudan.

Twelve armed forces personnel will initially be deployed to Djibouti, on the east African coast. [...]

The Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) will provide consular and other assistance to Irish citizens and their dependents being evacuated.

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar [pictured] said the situation in Sudan's capital Khartoum had "got worse in the last few days, and violence is being reported across the city".

"The situation on the ground in Sudan remains extremely volatile and I wish the ECAT and Defence Forces team every success in this mission," he added.

The US and UK announced on Sunday that they had flown diplomats out of the country.

British diplomats and their families were evacuated from Sudan in a "complex and rapid" operation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed.

Mr Sunak said work was continuing to ensure the safety of British nationals who remain in Sudan.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said there were "specific threats and violence directed towards diplomats" which led to the decision to evacuate staff.

He said that by relocating the embassy to a nearby country, diplomats could provide more assistance to those in Sudan.

But he said the government's ability to evacuate other British nationals was "severely limited" until fighting between warring parties stopped.

UK citizens in Sudan are being urged to tell the Foreign Office where they are in case more help becomes available, and a hotline has been set up for those who need urgent help.

Italy, Belgium, Turkey, Japan and the Netherlands said they were also organising evacuations, starting on Sunday.

On Saturday, more than 150 people, mostly citizens of Gulf countries, as well as Egypt, Pakistan and Canada were evacuated by sea to the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah.

The World Health Organization says the fighting has killed more than 400 people and injured thousands. However, the death toll is believed to be much higher as people are struggling to get healthcare, as most of Khartoum's hospitals have been forced to close by the fighting.

View original: https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/irish-army-personnel-help-evacuate-155748352.html

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British diplomats evacuated from Sudan by 1,200 personnel Air Assault Brigade, Royal Marines, RAF

Breaking news from BBC News UK

By Antoinette Radford

Sunday 23 April 2023 c.13:40 - full copy

British diplomats evacuated from Sudan

British diplomats and their families have been evacuated from Sudan in a "complex and rapid" operation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed. 

Mr Sunak said work was continuing to ensure the safety of British nationals who remain in Sudan.

The evacuees were taken to an airfield outside of Khartoum to fly out of the country overnight, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC.

Fierce violence erupted last week in Khartoum between two opposing forces.

The power struggle between Sudan's regular army and a paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has seen deadly shooting and shelling in the capital city.

Foreign Minister James Cleverly added that the government was working "around the clock to broker international support to end the bloodshed in Sudan." 

Mr Wallace also thanked France and the United States for their assistance in the operation in an interview with the BBC. 

He said the operation involved more than 1,200 British personnel from the Air Assault Brigade, Royal Marines and the Royal Air Force.

The UK's move follows the evacuation of US diplomats in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Fewer than 100 people were evacuated when three Chinook helicopters landed near the US embassy to collect them.

Several other countries including France, the Netherlands and Italy have also begun evacuating citizens from Sudan. 

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts.

Updated versions here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65367019

UNICEF: The Netherlands donates $23.5 million for safe water in Sudan

Great news from UNICEF (KHARTOUM/JUBA) 06 November 2009:

The Dutch Government has given $23.5 million to UNICEF in Sudan which will be used to provide safe water and improved sanitation for hundreds of thousands of people across the country.

“This very generous contribution by the Dutch Government will have a real impact on saving lives,” said Hilde Johnson UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director. Every year in Sudan about 60,000 children under the age of five die from diarrhoea, a preventable disease caused in large part by unsafe water and poor sanitation. “This donation will help to provide safe drinking water, sanitary latrines and fund public campaigns targeting hygiene behaviour.”

“Not only will this funding help to reduce the number of children who die each year, it will also help improve the lives of women and girls who often travel many kilometres to collect water for their families, Johnson said.”

Half of this contribution will be used for projects in the transitional areas of Blue Nile State, South Kordofan and Abyei over the next four years.

Southern Sudan will benefit equally from the Dutch funding which will be for projects in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Eastern Equatoria and Jonglei.

The Dutch Ambassador to Khartoum, Norbert Braakhuis, said he hoped that providing equal access to resources like water, which had often been the source of conflict in Sudan, would help to promote a sustainable peace between different communities.

“Many communities are still very fragile after Sudan’s long civil war. We hope that providing basic services will help people resettle peacefully and build strong ties between different groups,” he added.

The official agreement was signed today by the Dutch Ambassador in Khartoum, Norbert Braakhuis, and UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director Hilde Johnson, who is currently visiting Sudan. The signing was also attended by UNICEF’s Representative in Sudan, Nils Kastberg.

UNICEF video and high-resolution photography for media organizations is available at: http://www.thenewsmarket.com/unicef

About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

For additional information, please contact:
Amber Henshaw, Chief, Media & External Relations, UNICEF Sudan
Mobile: + 249 (0)912 177 291
Email: ahenshaw@unicef.org

Douglas Armour, Communication Manager
Mobile: + (249) (0) 928 278 975 + (249) (0) 913 143 481
Email: darmour@unicef.org

Abdel-Rahman Ghandour, Chief Communication, UNICEF Middle East and North Africa
Mobile: + 962 (6) 550 2407
Email: arghandour@unicef.org

Kathryn Donovan, UNICEF New York,
Tel + 1 212 326 7452,
Email kdonovan@unicef.org