Some members of the public have commended the South Sudanese government for improving the media environment in the country, following a notable improvement in the recently released World Press Freedom Index.

The new rankings position South Sudan ahead of both Kenya and Uganda.

In the 2025 edition of the Index, South Sudan climbed to 109th place, a significant rise from 136th place the previous year. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) credited the improvement to fewer reported attacks on the media.

However, the report also cautioned that economic pressures continue to pose a significant global challenge for news outlets.

The World Press Freedom Index, which was published on World Press Freedom Day, ranked Norway in the top spot and Eritrea at the bottom.

For the first time, South Sudan surpassed both Kenya and Uganda within the East African Community. South Sudan scored 51.63, placing it 109th, while Kenya followed at 117th, and Uganda placed at 143rd. Ethiopia (145th), Sudan (156th), and Egypt (170th) remained further behind.

Despite the positive shift in rankings, reactions from South Sudanese journalists have been mixed. According to Reporters Without Borders, some journalists view the improvement as a reflection of fewer incidents of arrest and detention compared to previous years.

However, others remain cautious, highlighting that core challenges to press freedom are still unresolved.

The report also underscored the difficulties in conducting comprehensive media assessments in South Sudan, given ongoing conflicts and a lack of reliable data.

This has made it challenging to fully gauge the state of the country’s media environment and the public’s access to information.

In response to the report, some members of the public expressed optimism, viewing South Sudan’s improvement in rankings as a sign of a better media environment.

They also emphasized that this should serve as a call for the government to address the country’s ongoing security challenges.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s Dawn Show, Ustaz Majok expressed his satisfaction with the news, stating:

“This shows that there is an openness and the government has given freedom of the press. It gives a good image of the country.

“This shows that we are heading in the right direction. If we are ranked better than Kenya and Uganda, that means South Sudan is doing well in terms of media freedom.

“Congratulations to South Sudan and all media practitioners. We ask God to continue protecting you. We also want to see a better understanding between the security personnel and journalists.“

Suleiman also praised the country’s progress, adding that: “We are moving in the right direction. Since the index shows that we are better than Kenya and Uganda, this is great news.”

The improvement in South Sudan’s media rankings signals positive progress, though it remains crucial for the government to address the unresolved issues surrounding security and media freedom.

“With this improvement, we also appeal to the government to improve the security situation in the country for the good image of this country. With an improved security situation and an improved media environment, South Sudan will continue to move forward,” said Suleiman.