JUBA – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir on Thursday urged Hussein Abdelbagi, his former vice president-turned-agriculture minister, to spearhead efforts to increase food production in the hunger-stricken country.
Abdelbagi, who served as vice president for the service cluster, was dismissed on Monday alongside Vice President James Wani Igga and reappointed as agriculture and food security minister. The reshuffle also saw Josephine Joseph Lagu and Benjamin Bol Mel appointed as vice presidents for the service cluster and economic cluster, respectively.
The reshuffling, announced in Monday night decrees, also included the dismissal of several top officials, such as spy chief Akech Tong Aleu, the minister of health, and the governor of Western Equatoria State. These officials, all members of the opposition SPLM-IO, were removed in one of the most sweeping reshuffles the country has seen. The move has sparked protests from First Vice President Riek Machar, leader of the SPLM-IO.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony, President Kiir tasked the new agriculture minister with leading initiatives to increase food production as part of efforts to recover from the ongoing economic crisis. This crisis has led to a rise in food prices and a sharp decline in the local currency’s value in recent weeks.
“President Salva Kiir Mayardit has urged the new agriculture minister, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, to lead initiatives aimed at boosting food production across the country,” a statement seen by Sudans Post on Thursday said.
“President Kiir emphasized the urgent need to advance agriculture and establish sustainable food production mechanisms as the primary approach to the country’s economic recovery,” the statement added.
Kiir also witnessed the swearing-in of several other officials, including the newly appointed ambassador to Kuwait, Tut Gatluak Manime.
According to the aid group Action Against Hunger, South Sudan is one of the world’s hungriest countries, with at least 40,000 people living in famine conditions.
Since the outbreak of conflict in 2013, South Sudan has endured a series of crises, including widespread communal violence, political instability, and the effects of climate change, with seasonal floods displacing thousands in recent months.
