South Sudan’s open borders fuel irregular migration | policy

In a remarkable shift in the paths of illegal migration in East Africa, the country of South Sudan has emerged as a new link on the path of human smuggling networks towards Europe.

The Passport and Immigration Department announced the arrest of hundreds of Eritrean and Ethiopian immigrants as they attempted to cross from the city of Aweil in the northwest of the country towards Darfur, and from there to Libya and then to the European coasts across the Mediterranean.

Despite the efforts made by the authorities in Juba in coordination with the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the United Nations Mission, this development reveals the fragility of border control and the expansion of the activities of transnational networks, in a context in which humanitarian considerations overlap with security and regional calculations.

The Director of the Immigration Department in South Sudan, Major General Elia Costa Faustino, said that the authorities have intensified measures at border crossings to reduce smuggling, warning that criminal networks will continue to exploit the wide borders and weak technical capabilities.

He added, “South Sudan borders six countries, and many crossing points are still open or not subject to adequate supervision, making it an easy passage for illegal movements.”

Costa pointed out that the security services arrested 109 migrants from Eritrea, Somalia, and Djibouti during the past weeks as they tried to go to Sudan and then Libya, suggesting that Europe would be their final destination.

He explained that the Immigration Department works in coordination with national agencies and international organizations to enhance border control and expand the use of monitoring and tracking systems.

Joining the Convention against Crime

On the legal side, Faustino stressed that South Sudan’s accession in 2023 to the United Nations Convention against Organized Crime, and the start of preparing a draft law to combat human trafficking, represent an essential step to strengthen the national legal framework and fulfill international obligations.

The US State Department’s 2024 report indicates that South Sudan is no longer limited to being a country of origin or destination for victims, but has also become a major crossing point in illegal migration routes towards North Africa and Europe.

The report believes that the weakness of state institutions, the continuation of internal conflicts, and the expansion of displacement are factors that have made migrants more vulnerable to exploitation.

In a study by the Ministry of Justice, Sabri Wani Lado, co-chair of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, explained that the draft Anti-Human Trafficking Law of 2024 represents an important step, but requires strengthening institutional capacities and coordination between agencies to effectively implement it and protect victims, especially women and children.

South Sudan is a major route

Data from the International Organization for Migration also showed that South Sudan is one of the main routes for human smuggling in the region, as 368 migrants were intercepted in 2024 at the border between Sudan and Libya, most of them women and children.

Legal expert Deng Jun believes that the spread of the phenomenon is due to complex factors, including the expansion of borders, weak monitoring, and the spread of conflicts, noting that cooperation between the Juba government and international organizations is close and effective.

As for the specialized journalist, Taban Daniel, he confirms that the “Majok Negin Tiw” border crossing in Northern Bahr al-Ghazal state is exploited by smuggling networks led by citizens from Darfur, who coordinate the movements of migrants until they enter Libyan territory.