Kiir orders Foreign Affairs Ministry to reduce its overseas diplomats

October 6, 2019 Newsbeat, South Sudan

South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit (File/Supplied/SSNN)

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir during a meeting with the country’s Heads of Mission Abroad, – has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to reduce its diplomatic staff to a manageable size.

According to state-run media, the Government of South Sudan admits that the number of its staff in foreign embassies is extremely huge compared to the number of foreign diplomats assigned in South Sudan.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, as my government I work around the clock to bring lasting peace and stability in our country, I want to register my concern about the Ministry and our missions abroad,” said South Sudan President Salva Kiir.

Kiir made it clear at the meeting that, from now on, there shall be no two ambassadors in bilateral posting unless in multilateral positing.

“To begin with, I want us to admit that the number of our diplomats in the embassies is huge and we need to readjust immediately. I witness this whenever I visit countries where we have embassies. When our diplomats turn to the airport, it desire a lot compared to when I receive foreign Head of States here in Juba, the number of their diplomats is impressively small.”

In line with the above, I am hereby directing the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to quickly address this:

There should not be two ambassadors in bilateral posting except in multilateral positing – that means a diplomat can deputize an ambassador in bilateral positing.
The positing of military attaches’ should be based on countries with military cooperation agreements with South Sudan.
The immigration Attachés should be deployed in countries that issue visas to South Sudan that means deployment of immigration attaches should be based on reciprocity or in a country that we have a bigger number of our citizens. Any further establishment of our Embassies abroad should be based on reciprocity.
Some Ambassadors and diplomats since 2012 never served in the Headquarters, this must stop immediately, no further extension of tenure of services to those abroad indefinitely.
In line with a decision of council of Ministers on recommendation of Public service to suspend new recruitment into civil service, I direct that no back door recruitment to be entertained as more. I was reliably informed that some of our diplomats do not even have files in Ministry of Public Service.
Any further consultations that Ambassadors may need must be coordinated with the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, this is to enable us enhance discipline and proper coordination – ambassadors who require meetings with me, should be cleared by the Minister and are directed to only discuss political and security issues between our sisterly countries NOT administrative issues within the Embassy (This is entirely the work of the undersecretary).

He urged the South Sudanese diplomats to perform their duties as expected, “With this few remarks, I argue you all to carryout your duties within the framework of the new reviewed Foreign Policy that you developed for the last 2 days.”

“In conclusion, as you go back to your stations of work re-assure Leaders of the countries you have been posted to as well as senior Officials of Sub-Regional, Regional and International Organizations for those in Multilateral Missions of my commitment to implement the R-ACRSS and restore peace, Security and Stability back to the country.”