South Sudan accredits new ambassadors

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

May 13, 2012 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Government of South Sudan (GoSS) has now officially accredited 19 ambassadors.

Accordingly, Fre Tesfamichael Tesfatsion of Ethiopia, Kenya’s Cleland Leshore, Zimbabwe’s Edward Kufa Chinza, and Egypt’s Moayad Fathallah Moihammed are the African ambassadors.

Last February, at a special accreditation ceremony held in the State House in Juba, the Ethiopian ambassador along with two European Union (EU) ambassadors, officially delivered his credentials to South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir.

At the occasion, the Ethiopian Ambassador expressed his commitment to work with South Sudan to promote mutual cooperation and to establish strategic relations, particularly in the areas of economy, peace and security.

Ambassadors from neighbouring Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Sudan, and Central African Republic are waiting for official accreditation.

After South Sudan officially proclaimed independence on 9 July 2011, the country has accredited 19 ambassadors. The first two were Alastair McPhail from the UK and Ingrid Osfstad from Norway.

Countries with ambassadors to South Sudan include: China, Germany, US, France, Sweden, Turkey, Netherlands, Denmark, Cuba, Ireland, Israel, Austria and there is an envoy from the EU.

(ST)