South Sudan [shutterstock]
Countries & Areas

South Sudan

Subscribe
Photo of Ambassador Thomas Hushek

Ambassador Thomas Hushek

International Travel Information

What you need to know before you go: visas, Embassy & Consulate locations, vaccinations, etc.

International Travel Information: Learn More

Current Travel Advisories

Level 4: Do Not Travel

Learn More

• Global Level 4 Health Advisory — Do Not Travel

THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE ADVISES U.S. CITIZENS TO AVOID ALL INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL DUE TO THE GLOBAL IMPACT OF COVID-19.

U.S. CITIZEN TRAVELERS:
Please enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/ to receive alerts and be located in an emergency.
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY OVERSEAS:
Please call 1 (888) 407-4747 (U.S. and Canada) or 1 (202) 501-4444 (overseas) or contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate: https://www.usembassy.gov/.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Highlights

July 8, 2020

South Sudan National Day

June 11, 2020

U.S. Diplomatic Leadership in Support of Women, Peace, and Security

June 9, 2020

The Troika Calls on the Government of South Sudan to Appoint Governors

June 5, 2020

Briefing with U.S. Representative to the UN Ambassador Kelly Craft On U.S. Engagement at the United Nations Security Council

March 27, 2020

The United States Is Leading the Humanitarian and Health Assistance Response to COVID-19

Top Tags

Bureau of African Affairs Office of the Spokesperson Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Syria
View all news

U.S. Relationship

View fact sheet

U.S.-South Sudan Relations

The U.S. recognized South Sudan as a sovereign, independent state on July 9, 2011, following its secession from Sudan. Several disputes between Sudan and South Sudan remain unresolved post-independence, including demarcation of the border, status and rights of the citizens of each country in the other, and the status of the Abyei region. Abuses against civilians, including appalling levels of sexual violence, have forced more than four million people to flee their homes and left seven million South Sudanese – over half the population – in need of humanitarian assistance in 2018. Prospects for peace are uncertain, as South Sudan’s government has shown a reluctance to end the fighting or to prioritize the needs of its citizens. The U.S. has been deeply involved in international efforts to end the conflict.

U.S. Assistance to South Sudan

The U.S. government is the leading international donor to South Sudan, and provides lifesaving humanitarian assistance such as food, nutrition, protection, clean water and sanitation, as well as essential services such as food, nutrition support, emergency water and sanitation interventions, health care, and education to millions of South Sudanese citizens displaced or otherwise affected since the start of the crisis in December 2013. The U.S. government also supports civil society and independent media to ensure that diverse voices are heard, and supports activities in conflict mitigation, trauma awareness and reconciliation. The U.S. has urged the international community to join in efforts to assist those affected by the ongoing violence.

South Sudan Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side contains a gold, five-pointed star; black represents the people of South Sudan, red the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green the verdant land, and blue the waters of the Nile; the gold star represents the unity of the states making up South Sudan note: resembles the flag of Kenya; one of only two national flags to display six colors as part of its primary design, the other is South Africa's [CIA World Fact Book]

Additional Resources

U.S. Department of State

External Resources

U.S. Department of State

The Lessons of 1989: Freedom and Our Future