South Sudan to switch to new time zone
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir in February 2020.
Juba
South Sudan will switch to a new time zone on February 1, a government official has said.
The country will move back one hour from Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) +3 to UTC+2, labour undersecretary Mary Hillary Wani Pitia said in a written announcement to civil service institutions, commissions, diplomatic missions, UN agencies, NGOs, international organisations and the public.
She said the new time zone is based on South Sudan’s location on the globe.
Two weeks ago, South Sudan’s Cabinet approved switching to a new time zone.
Many South Sudanese criticised the new decision on social media.
Once the change becomes effective, South Sudan will be in a similar time zone with countries including Egypt, Sudan and Malawi.
The government spokesperson, Michael Makuei Lueth, said the country has not been using its real time.
