South Sudan’s new Foreign minister has lamented that workers of diplomatic missions under his purview abroad have not been paid for two years, APA can report.
In an acceptance speech over his appointment last week as the new Foreign and International Cooperation minister, Mayiik Ayii Deng told President Salva Kiir that one of his ministry’s main challenges is to settle the payment arrears to its workers who are under-performing as a result.
Deng replaced Ms. Beatrice Khamis as South Sudan’s Foreign minister.
“We have diplomatic missions that underwent two years without payments, non-payment of our membership fees and obligations in nearly all multilateral institutions and poor working conditions in the ministry” Deng explained.
The chief diplomat said President Kiir’s guidance and support was desperately needed to breathe new live into such a strategic ministry under him by way of reforms.
He said under his watch the ministry is looking to improve relations with the international community, strained over the slow pace of the revitalised peace agreement.
Reacting to Deng’s complaints about payment arrears to South Sudan’s diplomatic staff abroad and regional and international organisations President Kiir directed his ministry to get on with its new reform agendas which will address this problem.
The South Sudanese leader promised that his government will from now on give priority to its financial obligations to its foreign-based workers and other international and regional bodies.
WN/as/APA