South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit has established a new authorisation system requiring serving and former senior government officials to obtain approval before travelling abroad, while introducing notification requirements for their movements within the country.
The measures are set out in Republican Order No. 36/10/2026, dated October 15 and broadcast by the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) on Friday evening.
The move comes after Kiir dissolved the transitional government on September 22 and established a caretaker administration, about three months before the country’s scheduled December 2026 elections.
Under the order, presidential advisers, caretaker governors, caretaker chief administrators, caretaker ministers, deputy ministers and other senior government officials must obtain prior written permission from the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, with an endorsement from the Presidency, before travelling outside the country.
The directive also requires former vice-presidents, ministers, deputy ministers, governors, chief administrators, leaders of parliament, members of parliament and members of the Council of States to obtain prior written endorsement from the Presidency before travelling abroad.
Former undersecretaries, heads of commissions and other senior government officials must obtain prior written permission from the Minister of Cabinet Affairs before undertaking international travel.
The order does not specify the criteria authorities will use to approve or reject travel applications.
Kiir also revoked previous directives, circulars and administrative practices that imposed general travel restrictions on government officials. The new order, however, retains approval requirements for specified categories of serving and former officials travelling abroad.
The directive does not explain the circumstances that prompted the revocation of the previous restrictions or whether additional administrative guidelines will be issued to implement the new system.
Domestic travel requirements
The order requires all senior serving and former government officials intending to travel within South Sudan to inform and notify the Minister of Cabinet Affairs in writing.
The notification must state the purpose of the journey, destination, duration and mode of travel.
The requirements extend the directive beyond international travel to domestic movements by the officials covered under the order.
Under the new arrangements, the Minister of Presidential Affairs and the Minister of Cabinet Affairs must keep the Presidency informed of all travel permissions granted under the directive.
Applications for permission and notifications under the specified provisions must be submitted at least 48 hours before the intended journey, according to the order.
The directive does not provide further details on how urgent travel requests will be handled.
The new system places the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Presidency at the centre of decisions concerning international travel by senior government officials, while requiring the same officials to report their domestic travel plans.
The order cites Article 101(t) of South Sudan’s Transitional Constitution of 2011, as amended, as the legal basis for its issuance.
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