H.E Dr. Kiir Launches Center for Issuing of National Documents of RSS; South Sudan launches passports and national ID cards
JUBA, 4 January 2012 – The President of the Republic H.E Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit yesterday officially launched the National Registration Center for the nationality certificate, identity cards and passports of the Republic of South Sudan. H.E Kiir also at the same time launched the issuing of the three national documents in a special ceremony organized by the Ministry of Interior at the main office of nationality, immigration and ID cards in Juba, under the theme: “The New National Identity for the New Nation”.
President Kiir launches the national registration center.
[Photo: Thomas Kenneth]
During the launching ceremony, President of the Republic H.E Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit received a new passport of the new nation as the first South Sudanese citizen to receive the new passport.
In his launching remarks, President of the Republic extended his sincere gratitude to the minister for Interior Hon. Alison Manani Magaya and his team in the ministry for a quality work done in issuing the national documents. He also appreciated the two ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance for joining hands with Ministry of Interior to set up mechanisms for issuing the national documents.
President Kiir addressing the participants at the launching ceremony.
[Photo: Thomas Kenneth]
President of the Republic strongly directed the two ministries of Interior and National Security to identify all the foreigners in the country and investigate those who entered in the country without work and residence permits and take any necessary measures against them. President Kiir warned authorities in the ministry not to issue diplomatic and special passports to the citizens who do not deserve them. H.E Kiir also warned government officials intimidating police officers issuing the passports and giving them bribes for diplomatic and official passports. He ordered the officers to report such cases to the authorities.
President of the Republic appealed to the politicians having hands in the crisis between Lou Nuer and Murle in Jonglei state to stop instigating tribal crisis between the two ethnic groups and work for peace and stability in the area. He reaffirmed that the government will not allow the two ethnic groups to continue killing themselves.
Hon Magaya stresses a point during the ceremony.
[Photo: Thomas Kenneth]
On his part the minister for Interior Hon. Alison Manani Magaya announced to the public that the nationality certificate is the key document to the other official documents through which ID cards and passports can be issued. Hon. Magaya declared that the new national documents of the new nation will be very restricted to make sure that they do not reach non-South Sudanese. He called on the citizens to cooperate with the authorities in the process of issuing the documents adding that the first generation passport of RSS will be slowly withdrawn while the second generation is being issued. Hon. Magaya emphasized that the Ministry of Interior has set up mechanisms for recognizing the presence of foreign nationals in the country and make sure that they have work and residence permits.
The two ministers of Finance and Foreign Affairs Hon. Kosti Manibe and Hon. Nhial Deng Nhial who is responsible for diplomatic and special passports expressed readiness for facilitating the issuing of national documents to a deserve citizens.
Mr Koler speaks during the ceremony.
[Photo: Thomas Kenneth]
The Vice President of Muehlbauer a Germany based company which manufactured the new RSS passport Mr. Mattauis Koler said when addressing the ceremony that the Republic of South Sudan passport is a first class electronic passport. He appreciated the Government of South Sudan for supporting the company in preparing the new passport.
Reported by Thomas Kenneth
http://www.goss-online.org/magnoliaPublic/en/news.html
South Sudan launches passports and national ID cards
January 3, 2012 (JUBA) – South Sudan has launched official passports and identity cards for the first time since the country’s independence in July.
President Salva Kiir Mayardit announced the official launch of the documents at a ceremony in Juba the Sudan Radio Service reported on 3 January.
Kiir demonstrated his own documents adding that they were the property of South Sudan. The launch of the ID documents is the latest stage in adjusting to the country’s secession from north Sudan as part of a landmark 2005 peace deal, which ended decades of conflict.
“During the time of the struggle when we were at war, there were friendly countries that gave us their passports that we used for travelling, and other travelling documents as well we used them. And today we have our own documents and we must own these documents with seriousness, these are the first documents that we are going to own as a new country.”
The President warned South Sudan’s interior and foreign ministries to only issue diplomatic passports to deserving people. It would “tarnish the image of the citizens of South Sudan. Don’t allow this again”.
The new passport is internationally recognised, Kiir said.
In July 2011 South Sudan introduced a new currency, the South Sudanese Pound (SSP).
(ST)
http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-launches-passports-and,41183
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