Kiir urges new foreign minister to reform ministry, address payment of diplomats

JUBA – South Sudan’s newly-appointed foreign minister and former presidential affairs minister Mayiik Ayii Deng has today been sworn in at the state house J1 in Juba with President Salva Kiir Mayardit urging him to reform the ministry and address the delays in paying of the country’s diplomats.

Mayiik who was dismissed last year as minister of presidential affairs over a scandal on Juba-Bahr el Ghazal Highway was appointed on Thursday to replace Beatrice Khamisa Wani who was appointed when Kiir reconstituted the transitional government in March last year.

“His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit presided over the swearing-in ceremony of Hon Mayiik Ayii Deng as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,” Kiir’s office said in a statement adding that the swearing ceremony was administered by deputy chief justice John Gatwech Lul.

Speaking following the oath-taking, Kiir “directed Hon Mayiik Ayii Deng to reform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and to work according to the policies of SPLM as the ruling party.”

The South Sudanese president also “urged Hon Mayiik Ayii Deng to address the issue of payment of Diplomatic staff, payment of subscription fees to regional and international organizations.”

For his part, the newly-appointed foreign minister stressed that South Sudan government has “a diplomatic challenge and we need to join hands to collectively implement the Revitalized Peace Agreement.”