Germany Closes Embassy in South Sudan as Violence Threatens
The German government announced Saturday it is temporarily closing its embassy in South Sudan due to rising tensions that could lead to civil war. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock shared the decision on the social media platform Bluesky, citing safety concerns for embassy staff.
"After years of fragile peace, South Sudan is once again on the brink of civil war," Baerbock stated. The German Foreign Office crisis team made the decision to close the embassy in the capital city of Juba with employee safety as the top priority.
Baerbock directly criticized South Sudan's leadership, stating that President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar "are plunging the country into a spiral of violence." She called on both leaders to halt the violence and fulfill their commitments to the peace agreement.
South Sudan has faced ongoing political instability since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011. The young nation's history has been marked by conflict, particularly between the factions led by Kiir and Machar.
The embassy closure comes as Germany expands its international security commitments with a recently approved €500 billion infrastructure fund that includes major defense spending increases. Outgoing Foreign Minister Baerbock has been vocal about Germany taking a more active role in global security matters while supporting nations facing conflict.
In 2018, the two rival leaders signed a peace agreement that ended a devastating five-year civil war. That conflict resulted in:
- More than 400,000 deaths
- Widespread displacement
- Severe humanitarian crises
Despite the peace deal, Machar now serves as first vice president in a unity government while his political group remains in opposition to President Kiir. The relationship between the two leaders continues to be a major obstacle to lasting peace in the country.
Political analysts widely view the rivalry between Kiir and Machar as a significant barrier to stability, with Kiir reportedly distrustful of Machar's political ambitions, while Machar has publicly characterized Kiir as a dictator.
