South Sudan appoints new foreign minister, pledges focus on Sudan ties
April 29, 2025 (JUBA) – South Sudan said on Tuesday it would consolidate relations with neighbouring Sudan, aiming to enhance strategic coordination for peace and stability in both nations.
The statement follows President Salva Kiir’s government’s efforts to position South Sudan as a neutral country committed to peaceful relations with its neighbours.
South Sudan, a landlocked nation, depends on Sudan to export its crude oil and relies on supplies transported via the Kenyan port of Mombasa. Sudan is currently grappling with an internal conflict between its military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has caused refugees to flee into neighbouring Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea and South Sudan.
On Monday, President Salva Kiir appointed Akuei Bona Malwal Madut as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs. Madut is a long-serving career diplomat whose father, Bona Malwal Madut, is a veteran politician with established ties to numerous Sudanese political and military figures.
In an order announced on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), Kiir confirmed Madut’s appointment, succeeding Monday Semaya Kumba. The decision drew mixed reactions, with some commentators praising the move while others expressed a desire for a female appointee to promote diversity within the ministry.
Madut welcomed the appointment and pledged cooperation to implement President Kiir’s agenda, emphasizing peace and strong relations with neighbours.
“With the guidance and support of His Excellency the President… General Salva Kiir Mayardit, the people of South Sudan, and my colleagues… we will work closely to enhance and consolidate our relations with Sudan to ensure peace and stability prevail,” Madut said in remarks broadcast by SSBC. “Peace and stability… is what everyone aspires to, whether in the Republic of Sudan or here in the Republic of South Sudan.”
Madut takes the role as South Sudan navigates complex diplomatic challenges, including efforts to improve relations with the United States and its allies, many of which played a significant role in the country’s independence from Sudan in July 2011.
Madut previously served as South Sudan’s permanent representative to the United Nations from 2016 to 2023. His diplomatic career also includes postings as ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti, and roles with the African Union and other regional bodies. His father held numerous political positions in Sudan before South Sudan’s secession.
He was educated in the United States, holding a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.