South Sudanese ambassador dies in Switzerland

File photo: Kuol Alor

The government of South Sudan announced on Wednesday the untimely death of its ambassador to Switzerland, Kuol Alor Kuol.

The government of South Sudan announced on Wednesday the untimely death of its ambassador to Switzerland, Kuol Alor Kuol.

Alor, who was the permanent representative of South Sudan to Geneva, was survived by his five children.

“We got notification today that Kuol Alor has passed away in Geneva today morning,” Mawien Makol, the foreign affairs spokesperson told Radio Tamazuj.

“He was a long-serving diplomat in South Sudan. It is a great loss to the ministry and his family,” he said.

The South Sudanese diplomat pointed out that they are still waiting for a medical report to know the cause of death.

Kuol, who hailed from Abyei, had served in Sudan’s ministry of foreign affairs since 1975. Kuol was posted to Geneva in 2016 to succeed Alison Magaya who died in August 2015.

A relative said Alor died with a heart attack that killed him while he was at his residence. He pointed out that preparations are underway to transport the body to Abyei in the coming few days.