South Sudan Embassy in Nairobi: Closed Over Unpaid Rent Arrears

• The South Sudan Embassy in Nairobi's Kilimani neighborhood was closed on August 11 due to four months of unpaid rent arrears.
• Embassy staff and a South Sudanese citizen confirmed the closure, with the citizen being turned away while seeking travel documents.
• This marks a repeated issue for the mission, which also faced closure in November 2025 for similar reasons, despite a recent payment covering three months of rent earlier this year.
• A civil society leader criticized the closure, stating it damages South Sudan's international image and diplomatic interests, especially as a new ambassador is set to arrive in September.
• South Sudan's economy, heavily reliant on oil revenues, is currently experiencing a severe fiscal and cash-flow crisis, contributing to its diplomatic missions' financial struggles.

The recurring closure of its Nairobi mission due to financial shortfalls underscores a persistent challenge for South Sudan's diplomatic operations.

The Embassy of South Sudan in Kenya, located in Nairobi's Kilimani neighbourhood, ceased operations on Tuesday, August 11, following its closure over outstanding rent arrears. Reports from embassy staff indicate that the mission is four months behind on its rental payments, though the precise amount owed has not been independently verified. The closure was confirmed by both diplomatic personnel and South Sudanese residents who attempted to access services at the facility.

A staff member, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that the embassy would remain inaccessible until the South Sudanese government intervenes to resolve the financial issue. The immediate impact was felt by citizens like Stephen, who reported being turned away by security guards when he tried to process travel documents. He was informed that the embassy had been closed the previous day, with security personnel unable to provide further details regarding the reason for the shutdown. Efforts by Radio Tamazuj to reach Apuk Ayuel Mayen, spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, for comment were unsuccessful.

This incident casts a shadow over South Sudan's diplomatic presence in the region, particularly as it occurred just days after Ambassador Simon Juach Deng, newly appointed to head the mission in Kenya, concluded his farewell visit with President Salva Kiir in Juba on August 6. Ambassador Deng is slated to assume his new role in Nairobi in September. During his recent engagements, President Kiir had emphasized the importance of professionalism and dedication for newly appointed diplomats representing the nation's interests abroad.

Edmund Yakani, a prominent civil society leader in South Sudan, voiced significant concern over the embassy's closure, describing it as detrimental to the country's international image and its broader diplomatic objectives. Yakani stressed the critical need for the nation's leadership to prioritize the financial support of its foreign missions as a fundamental budgetary imperative.

He further elaborated that the inability to maintain functional diplomatic outposts signals a lack of commitment to international engagement, which he characterized as a strategic misstep in both regional and global political arenas. Such failures, Yakani argued, ultimately undermine South Sudan's pursuit of its national interests on the world stage. The recurring nature of these financial challenges suggests a deeper systemic issue impacting the nation's foreign policy execution.

This is not the first instance of the Nairobi embassy facing closure due to unpaid rent. The mission previously experienced a similar shutdown in November 2025, also attributed to falling behind on rental obligations. Despite these recurring issues, there have been efforts to address the arrears; earlier this year, Senior Presidential Envoy for Special Programmes Adut Salva Kiir reportedly covered three months of the embassy's rent.

South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, has relied on its Nairobi embassy as a crucial diplomatic outpost since its inception. The nation is currently grappling with a severe fiscal and cash-flow crisis, largely due to its heavy dependence on oil revenues. This economic instability appears to be a significant underlying factor contributing to the persistent financial difficulties faced by its diplomatic missions abroad.

Source: Original reporting via Radio Tamazuj