A workshop organized by South Sudan’s Ministry of Federal Affairs to discuss the role of local government in a federal system has been postponed due to “technical issues,” a senior official has confirmed.
The event, which was scheduled to begin on Wednesday morning in the capital, Juba, was being held in collaboration with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other organizations. It aimed to explore how local governments would function under a federal structure, a system that divides power between national and regional authorities.
South Sudan’s Minister of Federal Affairs, Lasuba L. Wongo, told Radio Tamazuj that the decision to postpone the workshop followed advice from security officials.
“There were issues that arose, and our security team advised that we adjourn this to another date. We are now coordinating with JICA to reschedule the event as soon as possible,” he said.
Mr. Wongo emphasized the importance of the workshop, noting that it was part of broader efforts to draft South Sudan’s permanent constitution. He added that the ministry plans to organize a national conference on federalism following the workshop.
The event was expected to be officially opened by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar. However, sources told Radio Tamazuj that the National Security Service (NSS) had advised against holding the workshop on Wednesday, citing unspecified concerns.
“The National Security Service said today was not appropriate and that the workshop should be conducted on another day,” a source said.
The postponement comes amid rising political tensions in South Sudan. Last week, clashes in Nasir, Upper Nile State, between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with Dr. Machar resulted in several deaths, including a senior military commander.
In response, President Kiir’s administration has detained several allies of Dr. Machar, including the Petroleum Minister and senior military officials. These developments have sparked concerns over the stability of the 2018 peace agreement, which ended a five-year civil war between the two factions.
Federalism remains a contentious issue in South Sudan, with debates ongoing over how power and resources should be shared between the central government and local authorities. The postponed workshop was seen as a key step in advancing these discussions, which are critical to the country’s constitutional process.
No new date for the workshop has been announced.