Juba, South Sudan — Outgoing United Kingdom Ambassador to South Sudan, David Ashley, has opened up about his tenure in the country, outlining severe administrative turnover, infrastructural barriers, and deeply moving personal encounters with ordinary South Sudanese citizens.
Reflecting on the unique operational hurdles of his post, Ambassador Ashley pointed to the frequent turnover of high-ranking government officials as a major impediment to institutional progress.
“What challenges have I faced in South Sudan that I haven’t faced elsewhere? That’s a good question. I would say, I mean, one of them, I think I’m on to my seventh finance minister, I think, or so, in the last few years. Something like sixth justice minister,” Ashley stated during a lecture at the University of Juba.
The ambassador noted that while the UK has experienced its own political churn of late, South Sudan’s turnover rate is unprecedented and directly impacts governance and continuity. He illustrated the practical difficulties this poses for bilateral and public financial management:
“It is very difficult to make progress. At one point, we’re supposed to have monthly public financial management oversight committee meetings. We had three months where each time we had a different finance minister chairing the meeting. It is extremely difficult. I mean, from any walk of life, any sphere, it’s very difficult to work in that regard.”
Ashley added that South Sudan has struggled to make significant progress toward moving beyond its heavy dependence on oil revenues.
Beyond bureaucratic instability, the outgoing diplomat cited severe infrastructure limitations and security constraints as major obstacles to diplomatic field operations.
Comparing the operational environment to past postings, he noted, “The second thing which is difficult here is clearly infrastructure and getting out… It’s quite hard for us to get out and about. You know, that’s largely because of security. It’s also the difficulties of road infrastructure and so forth. To some extent, I served two years in Afghanistan, so I face something of the same challenges. But clearly that makes life difficult.”
Despite the governance and logistical frustrations, Ambassador Ashley emphasized that his most memorable experiences stemmed from direct engagement with the local population rather than high-level administrative meetings.
“I don’t see the ambassador role purely as just looking at paper. Cut to your expectation. And it is clearly the most enjoyable and also the most eye-opening part of any of our work here is when we get a chance to meet with beneficiaries, to meet with ordinary South Sudanese and hear about their lives and their challenges,” Ashley remarked. “And it’s those conversations which will stick with me when the conversations with my seven finance ministers may well recede in the memory.”
