![South Sudan deputy foreign minister Ramadan Goc. [Photo courtesy]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/64feca0105ebd.jpg?resize=880%2C386&quality=89&ssl=1)
The announcement came via a Republican Decree broadcasted on the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation on the evening of Wednesday, April 9, 2025. In the same decree, Kiir named Ambassador Monday Semaya Kumba as Goc’s successor.
Monday Semaya Kumba brings a wealth of experience to his new role. Before this appointment, he served as South Sudan’s Ambassador to China, a position that underscored his diplomatic acumen on the international stage.
Before that, Semaya held the post of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, making his elevation to the top ministerial position a natural progression within the ranks of South Sudan’s foreign policy establishment.
His tenure in China was notable for strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in economic cooperation, as South Sudan sought to leverage Chinese investment to bolster its oil-dependent economy.
Goc, on the other hand, assumed the role of Foreign Minister in July 2023. His dismissal, however, saw him transitioning to a new role as a Member of Parliament in the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly after Kiir revoked the appointment of Albino Mathom Ayuel.
While reasons for the reshuffle are unclear, it coincided with a diplomatic spat between South Sudan and the United States. At the heart of the tension is the case of Makula Kintu, a Congolese national deported to Juba after allegedly falsifying his identity as Nimeri Garang.
Initially, South Sudan resisted his entry, sparking a diplomatic row with the U.S. government under the Trump administration. The U.S. claimed that Kintu had been certified as a South Sudanese citizen by the country’s embassy in Washington, a claim that Juba initially disputed.
The situation escalated quickly, with the Trump administration revoking visas for all South Sudanese passport holders in the United States and threatening further punitive measures if South Sudan did not comply with the deportation order.
Facing mounting pressure, the South Sudanese government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, reversed its stance and allowed Kintu entry. This decision, analysts suggest, was a pragmatic move to avoid further straining relations with a key international partner, particularly given South Sudan’s reliance on foreign aid and investment to rebuild after years of war.
No official reason was provided for Goc’s removal, but the timing suggests it may be linked to the handling of this diplomatic crisis.
