South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Jenifer James
The Director General of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passport, and Immigration, Major General Elia Costa, praised the success of a recent high-level official visit to Malaysia, calling it a “major breakthrough” for South Sudan’s immigration and border management sector.
“They assured us they are ready to contribute and cooperate with us, particularly in training our people in border management and control,” he told the press upon his return from Malaysia over the weekend.
Major General Costa stated that the delegation’s mission focused on building technical capacity and strengthening partnerships to improve South Sudan’s fragile immigration systems.
“Our visit to Malaysia was very successful. We went there to strengthen our core knowledge from our partners and counterparts, and we achieved that goal,” Costa said.
During the visit, the South Sudanese delegation held strategic meetings with senior Malaysian immigration authorities.
According to Costa, the Malaysian side was enthusiastic about offering expertise, particularly in areas critical to South Sudan’s development.
“They assured us they are ready to contribute and cooperate with us, particularly in training our people in border management and control,” he confirmed.
A key highlight of the trip was the delegation’s tour of Malaysia’s state-of-the-art passport and ID printing facilities. Costa described the experience as eye-opening, noting that South Sudan stands to benefit immensely from adopting similar technologies. “We were grateful to visit their institutions and observe firsthand how they print their passports and IDs,” he said. “Their facilities were impressive, and we are very happy to bring back valuable knowledge that will help improve our own systems.”
The Director General stressed that improving passport production and document security is not just a technical upgrade but also a matter of national security. “Strengthening our immigration services means strengthening the safety and integrity of our nation,” Costa emphasized.
This cooperation comes at a critical time as South Sudan faces increasing pressure to modernize its systems amid rising concerns over cross-border crime, forgery, and trafficking.
Costa assured the public that the government is committed to implementing the lessons learned from the Malaysia trip.
“This partnership marks a significant step forward. We will work tirelessly to apply the knowledge and improve services for all South Sudanese,” he pledged.
The visit was part of ongoing efforts to build South Sudan’s institutional capacity and enhance international cooperation.
