South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to take steps to restore the country’s reputation abroad.
The directive comes as s South Sudan grapples with a deepening diplomatic spat with Washington, following a controversial deportation saga involving Congolese national Makula Kintu.
The United States had accused Juba of refusing to accept the deportee, allegedly mistaken as a South Sudanese citizen.
The situation escalated after the US imposed a blanket visa ban on all South Sudanese nationals. The United State also withdrew its peacekeepers from the U.N. mission in South Sudan on April 9.
Several South Sudanese analysts have warned that the government’s international engagement is declining after some Western diplomatic missions announced plans to close their embassies in Juba.
Kiir spoke Wednesday during the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Akuei Bona Malwal, emphasizing the need for stronger diplomacy. He pledged full support for efforts to improve the country’s foreign relations.
Akuei, a seasoned diplomat and South Sudan’s former permanent representative to the United Nations (2016-2023), vowed to use his experience to enhance the ministry’s performance.
Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba, who attended the ceremony, reaffirmed his commitment to improving South Sudan’s global image.
Government officials expressed hope that Akuei’s background — including previous postings as ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti and roles at the African Union — would help advance the country’s foreign policy goals.
Akuei holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.