South Sudan Govt Clarifies Position on Reports of Foreigners Being Forced to Leave

The South Sudan government has addressed reports concerning the participation of foreign nationals in small-scale commercial activities in Juba.

In a statement on Thursday, October 8, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it had taken note of recent public statements surrounding the issue, prompting it to clarify the government’s position on the matter.

"The Ministry wishes to clarify that there is no directive from the national government requiring foreign nationals to leave South Sudan," the statement read.

The ministry said commercial activities involving foreign nationals remain subject to the country’s applicable laws and regulations, with any action concerning such activities expected to be handled by the relevant authorities.

"The Government recognizes that commercial activities are subject to applicable laws and regulations, and any measures relating to such activities are to be addressed by the competent authorities in accordance with the law," the statement added 

The government also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining an environment that respects the law while supporting legitimate foreign investment and relations with foreign nationals.

"The Government of the Republic of South Sudan remains committed to the rule of law, legitimate foreign investment and maintaining constructive relations with foreign nationals and their respective countries," the statement concluded.

This comes a month after Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka condemned the government over a declaration of a crackdown on foreigners running small-scale businesses in the country.

In a statement on Monday, September 7, he said the announcement has left Burundians scrambling for safety at their Embassy in Nairobi, which negatively affects Kenya's diplomatic relations with its neighbours.

"A lack of diplomacy risks deepening divisions between communities, regions, and nations and destabilising economic activity at a time when Kenya can least afford it," he stated.

Kalonzo opined that the crackdown on foreigners was not the most efficient way of addressing the issues facing small Kenyan businesses, but retrogressive.

He added that the only solution was to remove the bottlenecks that undermine a favourable business environment in the country.

"The real threats facing our small traders are corruption, an unpredictable working environment including this regime's erratic tariffs and taxation policies, and the pre-election tensions being deliberately stoked by the outgoing regime, not the presence of foreign traders alone," he added.

Kalonzo called for transparency in how affected foreign nationals are processed going forward, including any documentation or status changes issued to them, so that this exercise is not later exploited for purposes that have nothing to do with trade or border management.