Government and power in South Sudan
Who leads South Sudan, how the World Bank's governance indicators score it, how many women sit in parliament and government, what the state spends and taxes, and the official bodies that hold power to account. System of government: Presidential republic with a decentralised (state) system under a transitional constitution.
Who leads South Sudan?
- Head of state: Salva Kiir Mayardit (President of the Republic of South Sudan)
- Head of government: No Prime Minister
- Foreign minister: Monday Semaya Kumba (Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity of the Republic of South Sudan)
Source: Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs: Public List (United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service), list dated 15 October 2026. All world leaders.
Governance scores
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators combine surveys of households and firms with assessments by public, private and non-governmental bodies. Each score runs from 0 to 100; higher means the sources rate governance better. They measure perceptions, and each has a margin of error.
- Voice and accountability
- Measures how far citizens can choose their government, and freedom of expression, association and the media.
- Political stability and absence of violence
- Measures the likelihood of political instability or politically motivated violence, including terrorism.
- Government effectiveness
- Measures the quality of public services and the civil service, and how independent they are from political pressure.
- Regulatory quality
- Measures the government's ability to make and carry out policies that let the private sector develop.
- Rule of law
- Measures confidence in and respect for the rules of society, including contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts.
- Control of corruption
- Measures how far public power is used for private gain, including petty and grand corruption and "capture" of the state by elites.
How does South Sudan score on voice and accountability?
Voice and accountability: 23.4 out of 100 in 2025, 187th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 41.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 29.3.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does South Sudan score on political stability?
Political stability and absence of violence: 39.1 out of 100 in 2025, 173rd highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 56.4). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 25.3.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does South Sudan score on government effectiveness?
Government effectiveness: 6.3 out of 100 in 2025, the lowest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 36.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 11.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does South Sudan score on regulatory quality?
Regulatory quality: 22.5 out of 100 in 2025, 190th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 42.9). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 26.3.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does South Sudan score on the rule of law?
Rule of law: 25.3 out of 100 in 2025, 191st highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 44.6). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 30.7.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does South Sudan score on control of corruption?
Control of corruption: 5.8 out of 100 in 2025, the lowest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 32.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 12.4.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many women are in South Sudan's parliament?
Women held 32.4% of seats in the national parliament (single or lower chamber) in 2025, 60th highest of 184 countries with data. Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union, via the World Bank.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many of South Sudan's ministers are women?
Women held 17.6% of ministerial posts in 2025, 115th highest of 190.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does South Sudan spend on the military?
Military spending was 3.4% of GDP in 2025, 15th highest of 149 (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, via the World Bank).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow big are the armed forces of South Sudan?
Armed forces personnel numbered 53,000 in 2020.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow good are South Sudan's official statistics?
The World Bank's Statistical Performance Indicator, which scores how well a country's official statistics system works, was 27.1 out of 100 in 2024, the lowest of 187.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many people in South Sudan use the internet?
6.7% of people used the internet in 2019.
Source: World Bank · saved copyOfficial bodies that hold power in South Sudan
Parliament
- Transitional National Legislative AssemblyBills, Acts passed and session news of the national assembly.
Elections
- National Elections CommissionElection timelines, voter registration notices and electoral regulations.
Public audit
- National Audit ChamberAudit reports on government accounts and public institutions.
Government below the national level
- States (10) and administrative areas (3: Abyei, Greater Pibor, Ruweng): Governors and chief administrators appointed by the president, with posts shared among parties under the 2018 peace agreement
- Counties (about 79): County commissioners appointed (the 2009 Local Government Act provided for elections, which have not taken place)
- Payams: Payam administrators appointed
- Bomas (rural) / quarters (urban): Boma administrators and chiefs
- Chieftaincies (paramount chiefs, executive chiefs, sub-chiefs, headmen): Chosen by communities according to custom (often by election or selection) and confirmed by government
How local power works in South Sudan
Places in South Sudan
Sources
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Voice and accountability (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70f2804fd1e2…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Political stability and absence of violence (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1317de0c85e1…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Government effectiveness (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a775e808dc65…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Regulatory quality (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83b57e36ff8c…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Rule of law (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0bccc3c054e8…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Control of corruption (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3b15a5340cdd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Seats held by women in national parliament (SG.GEN.PARL.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ae1dc13981a…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Women in ministerial positions (SG.GEN.MNST.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a4e448a5b8bd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Military spending (MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7f6913a783b…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Armed forces personnel (MS.MIL.TOTL.P1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fa4663c743ba…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Statistical Performance Indicator (overall score) (IQ.SPI.OVRL), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08ac7cde9129…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: People using the internet (IT.NET.USER.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d78dc658329…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.