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# Western Lakes State, South Sudan (2015-2020)

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Last modified: 2026-05-02 by bruce berry
Keywords: western lakes state |
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Image by Daniel Rentería, 2 November 2025
Flag photo from https://www.facebook.com/photo

- Western Lakes State
- Emblem

See also:

- South Sudan
- South Sudan - national index
- State and County flags of South Sudan (2015-2020)
- States and administrative areas, South Sudan

## Western Lakes State

Western Lakes state was established on 2 October 2015 by presidential decree, later being revoked and disestablished on 22 February 2020. The state flag was the state emblem over a blue field, alluding to its name (Western Lakes).

Daniel Rentería, 26 October 2025

More pictures of the western Lakes State flag, but no picture with the full flag...:
https://www.facebook.com/930212017311481
https://www.facebook.com/photo
https://www.facebook.com/photo
https://www.facebook.com/photo
https://www.facebook.com/photo
https://www.facebook.com/photo
https://www.facebook.com/930212017311481
https://www.facebook.com/930212017311481

https://www.facebook.com/photo
Olivier Touzeau, Paris Renesis, 27 October 2025

Extracted from an information circular:

Fellow citizens of Western Lakes State: be informed that Western Lakes Government has come up with a new symbol/logo… we are not longer on the previous logo of the defunct Lakes State.

Meaning of what you see before you:
1. Flying shoebill shows that we are progressing, we are taking steps into development and stability
2. Shoebill flying at the lakes shore means this bird is only found at the lakeside considering the fact that there are many lakes around
3. Shoebill is a very smart bird, it is seldom found, it constructs its own house and is able to store enough food for itself during the dry season. Remember, shoebill used to be the symbol for the whole Bahr el Ghazal the way rhino used to be for Equatoria and shield for Upper Nile.
4. The green land behind the shoebill shows the richness of the land of lakes
5. everything in the circle will be put on a light blue cloth later which is the colour of water of lakes and rivers. This will in days be flying as the flag in the state, will appear on letter heads of government institutions and will be waving on the governors vehicle
Shadrack Boi Machok, Information Minister, Western Lakes State

Paris Renesis, 27 October 2025

### Emblem

Image by Daniel Rentería, 26 October 2025
Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo

It is not known when the emblem was adopted, but it was probably in 2016 or 2017. The state emblem depicts a bird over waves (which was on the Rumbek Centre logo it appears), having two branches to its sides for peace. Below was a ribbon likely reading a motto of some sort; above another ribbon which likely said Western Lakes State. Sadly, I could not find a clear image of the state emblem.
Daniel Rentería, 26 October 2025