Report Contents
(U) What OIG Inspected
(U) OIG inspected the operating environment, executive direction, policy and program implementation, resource management, and information management operations of Embassy Juba.
(U) What OIG Recommends
(U) OIG made 20 recommendations: 17 to Embassy Juba and 3 to the Bureau of African Affairs. In its comments on the draft report, the Department concurred with all 20 recommendations. OIG considers all 20 recommendations resolved. The Department’s response to each recommendation, and OIG’s reply, can be found in the Recommendations section of this report. The Department’s formal responses are reprinted in their entirety in Appendix B.
(U) What OIG Found
- (U) Embassy Juba operated under difficult local conditions characterized by political conflict, communal violence, poor infrastructure, a dangerous security environment, and systemic corruption.
- (U) The embassy also faced significant internal challenges, including staffing limitations, inadequate facilities, and a complex, shared administrative services support platform.
- (U) The Ambassador and the Deputy Chief of Mission led the embassy consistent with the Department of State’s leadership and management principles.
- (U) Because of limited staffing and the annual turnover of U.S. direct-hire personnel, the embassy’s Management Section struggled to address communication, coordination, and internal control deficiencies.
- (U) Embassy Juba ended its locally employed staff health insurance benefits contract, resulting in changes to medical coverage for locally employed staff that negatively affected their morale. Additionally, the embassy’s local compensation plan did not comply with local labor laws.
- (U) Due to insufficient staffing, the embassy had numerous information management internal control deficiencies that required attention.
Report Terms
Report Recommendations
Embassy Juba should submit its FY 2022 annual Statement of Assurance in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba should bring its public diplomacy grant files into compliance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba should install signage at the Consular Section’s public entrance with all information required by Department guidance.
Embassy Juba should bring its consular cashiering operations into compliance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should bring the privacy booth into compliance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should upgrade the booth in the West Compound Access Control to allow the consular cash register to be located there, bringing oversight of consular cashiering operations into compliance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba, in coordination with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should bring its developmental training program into compliance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba should develop and implement a plan for communication and coordination within the Management Section and with the U.S. Agency for International Development alternate service provider.
The Bureau of African Affairs, in coordination with the Foreign Service Institute, should evaluate and provide resources to assist with improving communication and coordination within the Management Section and with the U.S. Agency for International Development alternate service provider.
The Bureau of African Affairs, in coordination with Embassy Juba should implement standard operating procedures for key administrative processes.
Embassy Juba, in coordination with the Bureau of Global Talent Management, should update the embassy’s local compensation plan to comply with South Sudanese labor laws.
Embassy Juba should complete all information systems security officer responsibilities, in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba should implement procedures to maintain documentation for all aspects of its computer support and operations, in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba should configure, monitor, and register its dedicated internet network with the Bureau of Information Resource Management.
Embassy Juba should complete information technology contingency plans for the unclassified and classified networks and test the plans, in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba should implement standard operating procedures to manage its mobile devices and a policy on the personal use of mobile devices, in accordance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba should bring the unclassified server room into compliance with Department standards.
Embassy Juba should develop mail screening standard operating procedures and disseminate it to local guard and mail room staff.
The Bureau of African Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Administration and Embassy Juba, should take appropriate action to assist the embassy with its annual inventory and reconciliation for fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
Embassy Juba should implement a records management program that complies with Department standards.