Kiir South Sudan: Officials Travel Approval Requires New System

• President Salva Kiir has established a new system for South Sudan officials travel approval, requiring authorization for international trips and notification for domestic movements.
• Republican Order No. 36/10/2026 mandates different approval processes for various categories of serving and former senior government officials.
• International travel requires prior written permission from the Minister of Cabinet Affairs or endorsement from the Presidency, depending on the official's status.
• Domestic travel within South Sudan necessitates written notification to the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, detailing purpose, destination, duration, and mode of travel.
• Applications and notifications must be submitted at least 48 hours in advance, with no specific provisions for urgent travel requests.

The implementation of this new system for Kiir South Sudan officials travel approval signifies a notable centralization of control over the mobility of the nation's political elite.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit has instituted a comprehensive new system governing the movement of both current and former high-ranking government officials in South Sudan. This directive mandates prior authorization for international journeys and introduces specific notification requirements for domestic travel within the country. The new framework, officially designated Republican Order No. 36/10/2026, was issued on October 15 and subsequently announced to the public by the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) on a Friday evening. This significant policy shift occurs in the wake of President Kiir's decision on September 22 to dissolve the transitional government, leading to the establishment of a caretaker administration. These developments unfold approximately three months before the nation's scheduled elections in December 2026.

The directive represents a centralized approach to monitoring and controlling the movements of key personnel. It replaces previous, more general South Sudan government travel restrictions, which President Kiir has now revoked. While the prior blanket restrictions have been lifted, the new Salva Kiir travel directive introduces a more granular system of oversight, ensuring that specific categories of officials continue to seek approval for international travel, and all senior officials must now report their internal movements. This move places the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Presidency at the heart of all travel-related decisions for a broad spectrum of government figures.

Under the provisions of Republican Order No. 36/10/2026, a multi-tiered approval process for international travel has been established, varying based on an official's current or former status. Serving presidential advisers, caretaker governors, caretaker chief administrators, caretaker ministers, deputy ministers, and other designated senior government officials are now required to secure prior written permission from the Minister of Cabinet Affairs. This permission must also carry an endorsement from the Presidency before any foreign travel can commence.

A distinct protocol applies to former high-ranking individuals. Ex-vice-presidents, former ministers, deputy ministers, governors, chief administrators, leaders of parliament, members of parliament, and members of the Council of States must obtain a prior written endorsement directly from the Presidency for their international trips. Furthermore, former undersecretaries, heads of commissions, and other senior government officials who are no longer in active service must seek prior written permission from the Minister of Cabinet Affairs for any travel outside South Sudan. Notably, the order does not delineate the specific criteria that will be utilized by authorities when evaluating these travel applications, leaving the approval or rejection process without explicit guidelines.

Beyond international movements, the new directive also imposes specific requirements for South Sudan official domestic travel notification. All senior serving and former government officials planning to travel within the borders of South Sudan are now mandated to inform and notify the Minister of Cabinet Affairs in writing. This notification must comprehensively detail the purpose of the journey, the intended destination, the expected duration of the trip, and the chosen mode of travel. This requirement significantly broadens the scope of the directive, extending oversight to internal movements in addition to international excursions.

To ensure proper oversight, the Minister of Presidential Affairs and the Minister of Cabinet Affairs are jointly responsible for keeping the Presidency fully apprised of all travel permissions granted under this new directive. For both international travel permission requests and domestic travel notifications, submissions must be made at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled departure. The order, however, does not provide any specific guidance or procedures for handling urgent travel requests, which could present challenges for officials requiring immediate movement. The legal foundation for this extensive oversight is cited as Article 101(t) of South Sudan’s Transitional Constitution of 2011, as amended.

The implementation of this new system for Kiir South Sudan officials travel approval signifies a notable centralization of control over the mobility of the nation's political elite. While the directive revokes previous general travel restrictions, it simultaneously reinforces and formalizes a system of oversight for specific categories of officials. The absence of clear criteria for approving international travel applications, coupled with the lack of detailed procedures for urgent requests, introduces an element of discretion that could have significant implications for officials.

This directive places considerable power in the hands of the Minister of Cabinet Affairs travel approval process and the Presidency, making them the primary gatekeepers for official movements. The requirement for detailed domestic travel notifications also indicates a desire for increased transparency and accountability regarding internal movements. However, the order does not elaborate on the reasons behind the revocation of the previous restrictions or whether additional administrative guidelines will be issued to clarify the implementation of this new, comprehensive system. This new regulatory environment demands careful attention from all affected parties.

Lawyers advising serving or former South Sudanese government officials must be aware of the new mandatory prior approval for international travel and notification requirements for domestic travel, as stipulated by Republican Order No. 36/10/2026. Compliance officers should establish internal procedures to ensure adherence to these new regulations, particularly given the unspecified approval criteria and urgent travel handling, which may require careful interpretation and monitoring.

Source: Original reporting via a recent government directive