Avoid all travel
Avoid all travel to South Sudan, due to the ongoing volatile security situation, armed conflicts, inter-ethnic violence and high levels of violent crime. You should leave by commercial means if you can do so safely. If you choose to stay in South Sudan, you do so at your own risk. If the armed conflict intensifies, commercial means to depart the country may be impacted. The Government of Canada’s ability to provide consular services during an active conflict may be limited.
FCDO advises against all travel
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). FCDO advises against all travel to South Sudan
Do not travel
Do not travel to South Sudan due to risk of unrest, crime, kidnapping, landmines, and health risks.
- The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in South Sudan due to the health and security situation Family members cannot join U.S. government employees who work in South Sudan
- U.S. government personnel working in South Sudan are under a strict curfew
- U.S. government personnel must use armored vehicles for nearly all movements
- Official travel outside Juba is limited
- Because of the serious crime threat in Juba, walking is restricted to a small area near the U.S. embassy during the day
Health On May 15, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 2 (Practice Enhanced Precautions) Travel Health Notice for Ebola for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). On May 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Medical services in South Sudan are extremely limited. Adequate medical treatment, as well as access to routine an emergency procedures, is often unavailable, and even minor health issues could require medical evacuation. All medical services, including medical evacuation, are at your expense. If you purchase additional medical insurance, be sure to keep records of all medical services paid for and provided. Unrest Armed conflict is ongoing and includes fighting between various political and ethnic groups. Weapons are readily available to the population. In addition, cattle raids occur throughout the country, often leading to violence. Journalists regularly report being harassed in South Sudan. Many have been killed while covering the conflict. Reporting in South Sudan without the proper documentation from the South Sudanese Media Authority is illegal. Any journalistic work there is very dangerous. Crime Violent crime is common throughout South Sudan, including Juba. This includes carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings. Foreign nationals have been the victims of rape, sexual assault, armed robberies, and other violent crimes. Kidnapping Criminal groups have kidnapped and threatened to kill or hurt people to force a third party, like a government, to act or abstain from doing something as a condition of release. Kidnapping for ransom happens occasionally in South Sudan. Criminal groups most frequently target local citizens, including those with other nationalities. Landmines Landmines are sparsely located throughout the country. While most locations are marked, unmarked unexploded ordinance remains a threat and causes multiple deaths each year.