Juba – On Thursday, August 17, the Ministry of Interior officially launched the Joint Operations Center (JOC) in Juba, South Sudan. Located at the Nyakuron Police Facility, the purpose of the JOC is to promote coordination among the multiple security forces operating within Juba. The center has received more than $2 million USD from the U.S. government for its construction, maintenance, and training support. The JOC official opening was attended by Minister of Interior Hon. Lt. Gen. Michael Chiang Jiek Geay, Presidential Advisor for Security Affairs Hon. Tut Gatluak, , U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Molly Phee; UNMISS Special Representative of the Secretary General Hon. David Shearer, among others.
Chapter II of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict called for the JOC to be established as a mechanism to avoid conflict and to ensure coordination of the security forces operating in Juba. The JOC will also provide a platform to coordinate the movement of the Regional Protection Force. Juba’s JOC will include representatives from the South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS), the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), the National Security Service (NSS), the Presidential and Vice Presidential Guards, the Prison Services, the Fire Services, the Wildlife Services, the Jubek State Police, and the United Nations Mission to South Sudan (UNMISS), among others. During the opening event, U.S. Ambassador Molly Phee remarked, “We are proud to have partnered with the Ministry of Interior and the South Sudan National Police Service to establish the JOC. The Center will play an important role in promoting security in Juba by fostering cooperation among security elements operating in the city. The United States provided support for the JOC in order to help South Sudan establish a safe environment where the residents of Juba have confidence in capable local law enforcement. Good relations between the security services and the civil population are essential for stability and economic prosperity.” At full operational capability, the JOC will operate twenty-four hours a day.
