Salva Kiir appoints new foreign minister as he seeks to rebrand South Sudan’s image
The appointment comes after the abrupt dismissal of former minister Ramadan Abdalla Goc earlier this week.
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has appointed Monday Semaya Kumba as the country's new Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, with a direct mandate to advance the nation's foreign policy agenda and revamp its global standing.
The appointment comes after the abrupt dismissal of former minister Ramadan Abdalla Goc earlier this week.
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Semaya was sworn in on Friday in a ceremony presided over by President Kiir himself.
In his remarks, Kiir described the new minister as a seasoned diplomat with deep experience in international relations.
He expressed confidence in Semaya's ability to represent South Sudan effectively on the global stage and help recalibrate the country's diplomatic posture.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has experienced notable instability in recent years, marked by multiple leadership changes — often following diplomatic missteps, policy inconsistencies, or regional tensions.
Semaya becomes the fourth top diplomat to hold the office in under four years, highlighting both the high stakes and volatile nature of South Sudan's foreign relations landscape.
His appointment signals Juba's intent to recalibrate its diplomacy amid ongoing efforts to normalize ties with regional neighbours, attract investment, and reposition the country within multilateral platforms such as the African Union, IGAD, and the United Nations.
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