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Juba – Al-Wadi Newspaper
Lieutenant General Elias Costa, Director General of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports, and Immigration in South Sudan, has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysian authorities to enhance cooperation in the areas of migration and border management, following an official visit to Malaysia.
Speaking to the press upon his return, Costa said: “We went to Malaysia to exchange experiences and benefit from their expertise. The visit was highly successful. We met with leaders of the Immigration Department and gained insight into their advanced systems.”
He explained that the MoU, signed with the Director of the Malaysian Immigration Department, aims to promote the exchange of knowledge and technical expertise in areas such as document issuance, border control, and the development of national identity systems.
The South Sudanese delegation visited Malaysian passport and ID issuance facilities and closely observed the technical processes used in producing official documents.
This cooperation comes at a time when South Sudan continues to face an ongoing crisis in issuing passports and national ID cards due to financial disputes between the government and German company Mühlbauer, which is contracted to print the documents.
Citizens have expressed frustration over delays in receiving their passports, which have severely affected various groups including students, patients, and businesspeople—many of whom have had to postpone or cancel travel plans due to expired passports.
In July 2024, South Sudan’s passport office in Juba witnessed widespread protests by angry citizens over persistent delays. The crisis escalated in August when the General Directorate announced a temporary suspension of passport and ID issuance due to a technical malfunction in the software system.
Earlier in June 2023, the department reported difficulties in issuing passports due to a shortage of booklets needed for printing. Former officials have blamed the government for failing to pay outstanding debts owed to the contracted German company.
Authorities now hope that the new agreement with Malaysia will help rebuild a more efficient system for issuing travel and identity documents, and overcome the technical and administrative hurdles that have hindered operations in recent months.
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