South Sudan president fires foreign minister

JUBA, South Sudan

South Sudan President, Salva Kiir fired his foreign minister Beatrice Khamisa late Thursday and replaced her with Mayik Ayii Deng who served as presidential affairs minister till June 2020.

Khamisa, who was appointed last year when the transitional unity government was formed, was relieved of her duties through a presidential decree aired on state broadcaster South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC).

No reasons were given for the sacking of the foreign minister.

Minister Mayiik was first appointed presidential affairs minister on 29 April 2016 in a transitional government and again in the same position in February 2020, following the signing of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCISS) and the formation of the transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU).

Mayiik was fired and replaced by Nhial Deng Nhial following a botched oil-for-roads deal between the government of South Sudan and the Republic of China through a Chinese company, Shandong Hi-Speed Group Co., Ltd (SDHS) which is building a road from Juba to Rumbek momentarily.