By Philip Buda Ladu
South Sudan government has ordered 42 immigration and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) serving as Attachés at foreign missions and embassies to immediately return to Juba.
The directive was issued in a letter dated May 29, 2024, from the Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports, and Immigration of the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The letter was addressed to Amb. John Samuel Bwogo, the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was written by the Director General of the Immigration Directorate, Maj. Gen. Simon Majur Pabek.
According to the letter, the Immigration Directorate, in consultation with the leadership, has decided to recall the Immigration Attachés who have since 2013, 2014, and 2018, been serving in foreign missions
“I, Maj. Gen. Simon Majur Pabek, Director General of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports, and Immigration, do order the recall of Immigration Attachés whose names and workstations appeared in categories (A&B). The last pay will be on June 30, 2024, in the financial fiscal year,” partly reads the letter signed by Maj. Gen. Pabek.
The letter further instructed that in the event an Immigration Attaché is recalled from a particular embassy, the most junior officer shall remain in an acting capacity until a replacement is provided.
In response to the directive, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a circular to all South Sudan embassies, instructing them to act accordingly.
Undersecretary Amb. John Samuel Bwogo wrote to all Heads of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires (a.i.) of South Sudan embassies and missions, to urgently operationalise the order.
“Considering the above, all Heads of Mission and Charge d’Affaires are strongly advised to urgently and immediately inform the recalled officers and NCOs (Immigration Attachés) at your esteemed and respective embassies and missions, and henceforth inform the ministry (HQs) as to the action taken,” he directed.
The reasons behind the government’s decision to recall the Immigration Attachés remain unclear, but the move is likely part of a broader policy or administrative review within the immigration and Foreign Service sectors.