Sweden closes Juba embassy, citing policy reforms as ties with South Sudan remain cordial

Sweden has officially closed its Embassy in Juba, ending 18 years of diplomatic presence in South Sudan.

The embassy lowered its flag during a decommissioning ceremony on Saturday, marking the end of its operations in the country.

Local media, however, quoted Swedish officials as saying the closure was a routine political decision by the Swedish government.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation described the closure as a routine administrative decision linked to Sweden’s internal policy reforms. It emphasised that bilateral relations remain good and cordial and have not been affected by the closure of the embassy.

Sweden has played a significant role in supporting South Sudan through humanitarian and development assistance, refugee and relief funding, as well as initiatives aimed at improving food security.

In December last year, the Swedish government announced plans to phase out its bilateral development cooperation with Tanzania by August 31, 2026.

In a statement, Sweden said the decision was made in the broader context of several difficult considerations, with multiple bilateral strategies worldwide being phased out.

“This decision is linked to Sweden’s foreign policy priorities, including new security policy challenges and needs in our immediate neighbourhood, as well as the government’s reform agenda for development aid. It is not connected to any specific recent events in Tanzania,” the statement read at the time.

Other embassies affected by the decision included those in Liberia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Bolivia, with the diplomatic missions in Monrovia, Harare and La Paz also set to close.

The statement did not mention the Juba embassy at the time.