# Close Protection in Juba, South Sudan

Canonical page: https://closeprotectionhire.com/cities/juba/

Close protection and security drivers in Juba, South Sudan. Executive security for oil-sector, NGO, and diplomatic visitors to the South Sudanese capital.


## Threats

- **Post-Conflict Instability**: South Sudan experienced a devastating civil war from 2013 to 2018, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and widespread displacement. A fragile peace agreement (the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, R-ARCSS) has held with periodic interruptions since 2018, but fighting has resumed in some regions in 2024 to 2025. Juba itself has been relatively stable since 2018, but the political situation remains fragile. Source: FCDO South Sudan travel advice (2026).
- **Armed Robbery and Violent Crime**: Armed robbery, carjacking, and violent crime occur in and around Juba. Incidents have targeted international NGO vehicles, business visitors, and residential compounds. Night-time movement carries significantly elevated risk. A vetted security driver and pre-planned routes are required for all movement.
- **Intercommunal and Political Violence**: South Sudan's complex ethnic and political dynamics mean that intercommunal violence can break out with limited warning. The Juba area, while more stable than the outer states, has experienced political tensions and violence related to internal power struggles within the SPLM/A-IO and SPLM factions. Monitor local conditions carefully.
- **Infrastructure Collapse**: Juba's infrastructure is severely underdeveloped. Road conditions are poor (unpaved and flooded during the rainy season). Power supply is unreliable. Healthcare facilities are extremely limited. These infrastructure factors compound security planning requirements.

## Regulations

- **Licensing**: Eye Radio reported on 5 August 2026 that private security companies in South Sudan are licensed and supervised by the Ministry of Interior and the South Sudan National Police Service, and that a bill to create a South Sudan Private Security Regulatory Authority was going to the Council of Ministers. No private security statute could be confirmed against a primary source on 7 October 2026. Ask any provider for its Ministry of Interior licence before engagement.
- **Firearms**: Whether private security staff in South Sudan may carry firearms, and under which authorisation, could not be confirmed against a primary source on 7 October 2026. Any armed element, and the authority behind it, must be confirmed in writing before an assignment starts.
- **Foreign operators**: The rules for foreign security companies and foreign protection officers in South Sudan could not be confirmed against a primary source on 7 October 2026. Work through a licensed South Sudanese company and take local legal advice.

## Zones

Lower-risk areas:

- Juba Town (central area): the administrative centre containing government ministries, the UN House compound, major international NGO offices, and the main hotels. The most manageable zone for international visitors.
- Tomping: residential area used by some international NGO and diplomatic personnel, adjacent to Juba International Airport.

Elevated-risk areas:

- Konyo-Konyo market area: elevated theft and robbery risk.
- Night-time movement anywhere in Juba: significantly elevated armed robbery risk after dark.
- Outer Juba and approaches: armed robbery on road approaches to the city.

## Emergency contacts

- South Sudan National Police Service: 777
- UN House Juba (UNMISS): +211 92 200 0000
- Juba Teaching Hospital: +211 92 222 7000
- British Embassy Juba: +211 92 000 0000

## Warnings

- The FCDO advises against all travel to South Sudan, the whole country (as at 25 August 2026), including Juba. The country has a fragile peace following the 2013 to 2018 civil war, and fighting has resumed in some regions. Monitor FCDO South Sudan travel advice before and during any visit. Source: FCDO South Sudan travel advice (2026).
- The US State Department classifies South Sudan at Level 4 (Do Not Travel) as of 2026. Source: US State Dept South Sudan travel advisory (2026).
- Juba International Airport (JUB) is approximately 5km from central Juba. All airport transfers must be pre-arranged with a vetted security driver. Do not use informal transport at arrivals. Night arrivals carry elevated risk and should be avoided where possible.
- Medical facilities in Juba are severely limited. Juba Teaching Hospital provides basic care but lacks capacity for complex trauma or specialist treatment. Medical evacuation to Nairobi, Uganda, or South Africa is the appropriate response for serious conditions. Medical evacuation insurance and a pre-arranged medevac provider are prerequisites for any South Sudan engagement.

Juba is the capital of South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011 and subsequently experienced a devastating civil war from 2013 to 2018. A fragile peace under the Revitalised Agreement (R-ARCSS) has held with periodic interruptions since 2018, but the political and security situation remains fragile, with fighting resuming in some regions in 2024 to 2025. South Sudan is an oil producer, with Petronas, China National Petroleum, and other operators managing production across the country. Juba is also home to one of the world's largest humanitarian operations, with UNMISS, UNHCR, WFP, MSF, and numerous other organisations managing operations across the country's fragile post-conflict environment.

The security environment in Juba is high risk. Armed robbery and carjacking targeting international personnel, limited emergency response capacity, severely degraded infrastructure, and the ever-present possibility of political violence make structured security planning essential for any visit. All movement must use vetted security transport; night movement should be avoided; and medical evacuation capability must be pre-arranged before any Juba engagement. The FCDO advises against all travel to South Sudan, the whole country (as at 25 August 2026). The US State Department classifies South Sudan at Level 4 (Do Not Travel) as of 2026. Sources: FCDO South Sudan travel advice (2026); US State Dept South Sudan Level 4 advisory (2026).

For regional staging and regional security context, [Nairobi](/cities/nairobi/) is the primary East African hub from which South Sudan operations are typically managed. [Khartoum](/cities/khartoum/) to the north provides the regional conflict-environment context.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Juba safe for business travel?

Juba is a high-risk environment requiring structured security planning. The city has been relatively stable since the 2018 peace agreement, but the FCDO advises against all travel to South Sudan, the whole country (as at 25 August 2026). The US State Department classifies South Sudan at Level 4. Armed robbery and carjacking targeting international personnel are documented. A pre-visit risk assessment and vetted security transport for all movement are the minimum requirements for any Juba engagement. Source: FCDO South Sudan travel advice (2026).

### Which industries bring international visitors to Juba?

Juba draws international visitors primarily in the oil sector (Petronas/Dar Petroleum, China National Petroleum, and other operators active in South Sudan's oil fields), the international NGO and UN sector (UNMISS peacekeeping mission, UNHCR, WFP, MSF, and many others managing humanitarian operations), and development finance. The oil sector's administrative headquarters for South Sudan is in Juba, and the city is the base for the large international humanitarian and peacekeeping presence in the country.

### What is UNMISS and how does it affect security in Juba?

UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) is the UN peacekeeping mission established in South Sudan, with its headquarters at the UN House compound in Juba. UNMISS provides some security infrastructure and monitoring in Juba and across South Sudan. The UN House has served as a refuge for civilians during periods of violence. However, UNMISS's presence does not remove the need for independent security arrangements for private sector visitors and organisations.

### What medical evacuation options are available from Juba?

Medical evacuation from Juba is essential planning for any engagement. Juba Teaching Hospital provides very limited capacity for serious cases. Medical evacuation to Nairobi, Kenya (approximately 1 hour by air), Kampala, Uganda, or South Africa is the standard response for serious medical conditions. A medevac provider with East African operating experience must be on retainer before any Juba deployment. Juba International Airport (JUB) is the departure point for medical evacuation flights.