South Sudan’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Atong Kuol, has urged young people to reconsider dangerous journeys to Europe, warning that the search for better economic opportunities can expose migrants to serious risks.
Speaking during a youth dialogue in Juba, Minister Atong said limited opportunities and economic hardship should not push young South Sudanese into irregular migration routes, calling instead for greater investment in education, skills, entrepreneurship and employment at home.
The minister also disclosed an incident involving a member of the South Sudan delegation that travelled to Tunisia with the national basketball team last month.
According to Atong, the individual left the team’s hotel while in Tunisia and subsequently embarked on what the minister described as a desperate journey in search of a better life.
The minister did not disclose the identity of the individual or provide details about their current whereabouts or circumstances.
South Sudan’s national basketball team travelled to Tunisia in August, with senior officials, including the youth and sports minister, accompanying or supporting the delegation during the trip.
Public posts from the South Sudan National Olympic Committee also documented the delegation’s arrival and activities in Tunisia.
The incident has brought renewed attention to the pressures facing young South Sudanese, particularly unemployment, limited economic opportunities and the growing appeal of migration as a way of seeking a different future.
For some young people, Europe is seen as a destination offering better employment, education and living conditions. However, irregular migration can expose people to exploitation, trafficking, detention, abuse and dangerous journeys.
At the Juba dialogue, government officials, young people, United Nations agencies and development partners discussed ways of addressing the challenges facing South Sudan’s youth.
The event, organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Labour and other partners, focused on peace, education, skills development, employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Participants also discussed how government and development partners can create an environment where young people can establish businesses, develop professional skills and earn sustainable livelihoods without being forced to seek opportunities abroad.
Minister Atong encouraged young people to make use of opportunities available in South Sudan while calling on government and development partners to expand those opportunities.
The minister’s remarks come as South Sudan continues to face significant economic and employment challenges, with young people making up a large share of the country’s population.
Speakers at the dialogue stressed that investment in education, vocational training, entrepreneurship and innovation is essential to improving young people’s economic prospects and strengthening their contribution to peace and national development.
The Tunisia incident has added a human dimension to those concerns, showing how the desire for a better life can extend even to young people travelling abroad as part of official sporting delegations.
The minister’s appeal was therefore not only a warning against dangerous migration but also a call for stronger domestic opportunities that can give South Sudanese youth viable reasons to build their futures at home.
As South Sudan seeks to expand opportunities for its young population, participants said addressing unemployment and creating pathways into education, skills and decent work will be critical to reducing the pressure that drives some young people towards risky migration.
For many young South Sudanese, the challenge remains not simply whether to leave the country, but whether they can find a credible future without having to leave it.
