Washington and Juba Clash Over Repatriation After South Sudan Revokes Visas

Tensions between the United States and South Sudan have escalated following a diplomatic row over the deportation of a man believed to be South Sudanese. The disagreement has resulted in the US cancelling all visas issued to South Sudanese nationals and halting new entries.

The situation began when the US deported a man who had presented himself as Nimeri Garang, allegedly a South Sudanese citizen. The US acted on documentation issued by the South Sudanese Embassy in Washington, which provided an emergency travel letter confirming his nationality. The letter included details such as his date and place of birth in what is now South Sudan.

However, upon arrival in Juba on 5 April, immigration officials determined that the man was not South Sudanese. He later admitted to being Makula Kintu, a Congolese national from the Fir tribe in Northern Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Reacting to the confusion, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau defended Washington’s actions, stating that the repatriation was based on official certification from the South Sudanese Embassy. Landau explained that the US government had funded the deportation with taxpayer money and expected South Sudan to honour its own documents.

Landau warned Juba against further escalating the issue and criticised any attempt to reverse the process after the fact. He added that allowing foreign governments to challenge their own prior certifications undermines the entire deportation system. He urged South Sudan to accept responsibility and resolve the matter diplomatically.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the visa ban, accusing South Sudan of refusing to cooperate and failing to accept the return of its deported nationals. Rubio insisted that countries must take back their citizens when deported from another nation.

South Sudan’s foreign ministry expressed regret over the escalation, calling the situation avoidable. Foreign Minister Spokesperson Ambassador Apouk Ayuel reaffirmed South Sudan’s desire to cooperate with the United States to resolve the misunderstanding but maintained that the individual was not a South Sudanese citizen.