South Sudan Responds To Reports Of US Ambassador Dismissal
South Sudan’s administration has denied removing the US ambassador or ordering the closing of the US embassy in Juba.
According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Apuk Ayuel Mayen, the charges are baseless and constitute “misinformation circulating on social media”.
“These allegations did not originate from any official source within the government and are entirely without merit,” Mayen said.
“Contrary to these unfounded claims, the government of the Republic of South Sudan has neither expelled the United States ambassador nor closed its embassy in Washington DC,” she emphasised.
FAKE DOCUMENT ALERT!
— Chol Atak (@Cholatak) April 12, 2025
The document below, alleging the expulsion of the US Ambassador to South Sudan is fake.
It’s the other document attached here that has been doctored. pic.twitter.com/A93Mp7IRPd
According to reports, South Sudan closed its embassy in Washington DC and ordered the closure of the US embassy in Juba as a result of a diplomatic disagreement over the wrongful expulsion of a Congolese national to the country.
South Sudan initially refused to receive the deportee and criticized the revocation of US visas for all of its people as a result of the misunderstanding.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the visa measure on Saturday, April 5, citing South Sudan’s refusal to accept the return of its people deported from the United States.
Rubio further stated that the US will bar any South Sudanese citizens from entering the country at US ports of entry.
“We will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation,” he added.
However, on April 8, South Sudan’s foreign ministry stated that the decision was based on a case involving someone who had been wrongly identified as South Sudanese.
The government stated it “deeply regrets” the blanket move against all of the country’s nationals based on “an isolated incident involving misrepresentation by an individual who is not a South Sudanese national”.
It went on to say that the individual was “returned to the sending country for further processing”.
In a surprising turn of events, South Sudan announced that it had agreed to admit the deportee, citing “existing friendly relations between South Sudan and the United States” as the reason for the decision.
“The Government of the Republic of South Sudan has decided to grant Mr Makula Kintu permission to enter the country,” the ministry said in a statement.
“In light of this decision, the government has instructed the relevant authorities at Juba International Airport to facilitate Mr Kintu’s arrival as early as tomorrow (April 9).”
Kintu was denied admission to South Sudan at Juba International Airport on April 5 and 6, 2025.
His deportation was part of President Donald Trump’s immigration program to remove illegal immigrants from the United States.
South Sudan’s foreign ministry issued a statement indicating compliance with the deportation order.
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“The Government of the Republic of South Sudan remains committed to facilitating the return of verified South Sudanese nationals who are scheduled for deportation from the United States,” the statement read.
Mayen dismissed his purported expulsion, stating that US Ambassador to Juba Michael J. Adler is still fully accredited and has the support of the South Sudanese government.
The spokesperson further confirmed that South Sudan’s embassy in Washington remains open and operational.
“We appreciate the ongoing support of the US government and remain committed to fostering strong and mutually beneficial diplomatic ties,” she said.
South Sudan Responds To Reports Of US Ambassador Dismissal
