U.S. imposes visa restrictions on South Sudan officials

May 13, 2026

Summary

Washington imposed visa restrictions on unnamed South Sudanese officials it said obstructed the ceasefire and engaged in corruption.

Why this matters

The action adds U.S. pressure on South Sudan’s leaders as a 2018 peace deal remains incomplete and the country’s first post-independence election has been delayed until 2026. It signals continued international scrutiny of whether the transitional government can carry out reforms and avoid renewed conflict.

The United States imposed visa restrictions on South Sudanese officials it accused of undermining the country’s peace process, the State Department said Tuesday.

“These individuals have undermined peace in South Sudan, including by impeding the ceasefire agreement and engaging in corruption that has fueled the conflict,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.

The State Department did not name the officials. Visa records are generally confidential under U.S. law, and the department often withholds names in visa restriction cases unless people are publicly identified under other authorities.

South Sudan has formally been at peace since a 2018 agreement ended a civil war that began in 2013 after a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar. The deal created a ceasefire and a unity government, but major parts of the agreement remained incomplete, and violence continued in parts of the country.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, security sector reform, the unification of rival forces, election preparations, and institutional changes remained stalled. South Sudan’s first national election since independence, originally scheduled for December 2024, was postponed to Dec. 22, 2026, after the presidency said more time was needed to complete key tasks before a vote.

International peace guarantors said in September 2024 that the delay showed the transitional government had failed to fully implement the 2018 peace deal.

The visa action followed recent leadership changes in Juba. President Kiir dismissed army chief Gen. Paul Nang and Finance Minister Salvatore Garang Mabiordit on May 7, days after removing the foreign and trade ministers and senior security officials. Analysts viewed the changes as part of Kiir’s efforts to consolidate power amid uncertainty over succession.

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