𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘆 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘂𝗱𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

 

𝗕𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗚𝗵𝗮𝗶 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲,

Dutch and Swedish embassies suspended operations or closed in South Sudan in the recent past. The US Embassy is alleged to be close by the Trump Administration as part of their foreign policy, only later to be denied by US ambassador to South Sudan Amb. Michael J. Adler.

These are not merely trivial bureaucratic measures. These do have meaning. When countries begin to close their diplomatic missions, something more fundamental is amiss—relations are tense, confidence is declining, and the image of the country overseas is besmirched.

This comes at a very sensitive moment for South Sudan, when we are engaged in continuing to implement the Revitalized Peace Agreement. That agreement ought to be a moment of turn-around in our political life, but events such as these make it seem we are retrogressing rather than progressing.

Most disturbing, perhaps, is that some of the nations sliding backward are those very nations that were with us through the darkest years. That they should now draw away, some even suddenly and in an unfriendly manner is a warning we cannot afford to overlook.

It’s simple to point fingers at the external players, but the reality is we must look at ourselves as well. Errors of judgment by government leaders—whether due to poor leadership, corruption, or complacency—have eroded the confidence we once had. This is not merely a diplomatic problem. It’s a national problem.

Too frequently, the people are left to bear the shame brought about by a handful of leaders. Our people are proud of their heritage, and they should be. But it’s difficult to keep your head held high on the world stage when those who are supposed to represent you are making unnecessary errors.

Fortunately, there are still South Sudanese who remind the world of our best. Think of Luol Deng and some of our athletes—people who wear the flag with pride and demonstrate to the world that there is more to South Sudan than our politics. They give hope where our institutions fail.

Rebuilding South Sudan’s reputation begins with the fundamentals: effective diplomacy and good governance. Two ministries need to be at the forefront of doing this—the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the Ministry of Information, Communication Technology, and Postal Services.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should centralize communication with the foreign embassies. There ought to be proper lines of verifying identities and permissions, particularly when releasing critical documents such as passports or travel documents. System failure was brought to light some time ago when a man named “Nimeri Garang”—a citizen of the Congo—was apprehended with a South Sudanese travel document released by our Washington, D.C. embassy.

He was subsequently deported to South Sudan, only for the authorities here to confirm that he was not one of our citizens. Not only was that error embarrassing—it was risky. It raised extremely serious questions about how decisions are being made and whether embassies are under adequate oversight.

Conversely, the Ministry of Information also has a vital role to play. The world judges South Sudan based on what it sees and hears. This makes communication vital. We must make our achievements public, negate negative narratives, and engage with the international media with honesty and transparency.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁.

The government is not a town hall meeting where blame gets tossed around by people. It is an organized system where accountability must be the foundation. When there are mistakes—particularly on issues relating to our national identity—someone must be held accountable, and corrective action must be taken. Nowadays, South Sudan has a decision to make. We can keep going down the same path of bad governance and isolation, or we can seize the day and re-open ourselves to the world. Shutting the embassies is only a symptom. The disease is the way that we govern ourselves and represent our people.

I have just heard on Eye Radio that the Netherlands Embassy will soon close its operations in Juba. This is news that should trouble every South Sudanese who knows what the Netherlands has meant to our country. From being with us through the liberation struggle to helping with nation-building after independence, the Dutch have been more than development partners—they have been close friends.

The Juba Bridge, built in 1974, is a lasting reminder of their initial presence.

Now they are leaving.

It could be said by some that this is merely a budgetary move by their government to cut back on foreign spending. That does not account for the entire situation, however. Why was South Sudan one of the first to be let go? Why not some other nation? When friends begin to leave without discussing it too much, it is usually because something has gone wrong in the relationship.

Sweden made a similar move last August, shutting down its embassy after nearly two decades of diplomatic presence in Juba. These aren’t just random decisions. They reflect how the world currently sees us—and that image, unfortunately, is not good.

This is not a blame game. This is a moment to look back.

Indeed, we’ve had numerous setbacks as a young nation. But recurring governance failures, absence of accountability, and poor diplomatic coordination have pushed even the most patient partners to retreat. When embassies shut their doors, it is not merely an issue of fewer flags waving in Juba. It’s an indicator that we are losing the confidence of those who once had faith in our advancement.

Naturally, all is not lost.

There is guarded hope that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, with new political leadership in the form of 𝗛𝗼𝗻. 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝗞𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮 and his deputy 𝗛𝗼𝗻. 𝗔𝗸𝘂𝗲𝗶 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝘂𝘁, can instill a new direction. What is required now is not additional rhetoric, but considered action—cleansing internal systems, coordinating better between headquarters and embassies, and mending relations based on mutual respect.

But leadership is not sufficient. All policymakers, diplomats, and public servants need to know that what we do at home directly affects how we are perceived abroad. We cannot expect respect from the world if we don’t demonstrate it towards one another.

This is why The Most Rev. Engineer Taban Elias Parangi’s words are so apt. He declared, “𝗙𝗶𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆.” It’s plain common sense. When we lead with honesty, respect the law, and put the people first, the world takes notice. If we want to improve our standing in the world, we must first repair what’s broken at home. That’s not good diplomacy—it’s simple sense.

As additional embassies contemplate their future in South Sudan, we must ask ourselves: what do we wish to be as a nation? A nation that pushes partners away, or one that embraces them with trust and reliability? The solution is before us.

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: Opinions are mine and do not reflect the views or opinions of my employer. The Writer of this view is a Mass Communications and Journalism student at Chandigarh University, India. He is a seasoned Media Practitioner in South Sudan