South Sudan’s caretaker government has assigned acting responsibilities to ministers to oversee national ministries without caretaker ministers under a new order issued by Caretaker Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, on October 20, 2026.
Ministerial Order No. AM-01/2026 directs Under-Secretaries to continue managing the day-to-day operations of their respective ministries under the supervision of the assigned acting ministers.
Under the arrangement, Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro will oversee Presidential Affairs, Agriculture and Food Security, Parliamentary Affairs, and Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services.
The Minister of Presidential Affairs will act for Cabinet Affairs.
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister will oversee East African Community Affairs, while the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs will act for the Foreign Affairs ministry.
Defence and Veterans Affairs will be overseen by the Deputy Minister of Defence, while the Deputy Minister of Interior will act for the Interior Ministry.
The Interior Minister will oversee National Security, with the Minister of National Security serving as an alternate for Defence and Interior where specified.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister will oversee Peace Building, while the Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services Minister will act for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
The Peace Building Minister will oversee Federal Affairs.
In the economic sector, Petroleum Minister will act for Finance and Planning, Mining, and Energy and Dams, while the Finance and Planning Minister will oversee Petroleum, Trade and Industry, Transport, and Roads and Bridges.
Trade and Industry Minister will oversee Livestock and Fisheries, Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, and Transport.
The Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Minister will act for Environment and Forestry, Land, Housing and Urban Development, and Water Resources and Irrigation.
In the service sector, General Education and Instruction Minister will oversee Higher Education, Science and Technology, Gender, Child and Social Welfare, and Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.
The Health Minister will act for General Education and Instruction and Public Service and Human Resource Development.
The order’s schedule also assigns General Education and Instruction to oversee Health.
Under the gender and youth cluster, the Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Minister will oversee Culture, Museums and National Heritage, as well as Youth and Sport.
The order requires all concerned Under-Secretaries to recognise the authority of their assigned acting ministers and continue their administrative duties under their supervision.
It states that Under-Secretaries, as civil servants rather than constitutional postholders, cannot exercise constitutional powers reserved for ministers.
Failure to comply with the order may result in administrative or disciplinary action under applicable laws and regulations.
The order takes immediate effect and will remain in force until amended, revoked or replaced by a competent authority.
