Nairobi: Kenya and South Sudan have renewed their commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation in key sectors including trade, infrastructure, education, and capacity building, following a bilateral meeting between the Kenya-South Sudan Liaison Office (KESSULO) and the Embassy of South Sudan in Nairobi.
According to Kenya News Agency, the meeting was led by Secretary Major (Rtd.) Abel Rotich, who congratulated Ambassador Antony Kon on his recent appointment as Ambassador to Kenya. Ambassador Kon, South Sudan’s Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-Habitat, is an alumnus of KESSULO’s 2012 training program.
Rotich emphasized Kenya’s historic role in South Sudan’s transition to independence, highlighting that KESSULO, which operates under the Executive Office of the President, has trained over 8,600 South Sudanese professionals since 2005. The agency continues to support governance, diplomacy, and institutional capacity in South Sudan. He also announced that scholarships for South Sudanese students in Kenya are under consideration as part of KESSULO’s restructuring plan, which was recently strengthened by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) recognizing the office as an institution with expanded diplomatic reach.
Ambassador Kon acknowledged Kenya’s crucial role in South Sudan’s independence journey and urged for greater collaboration in trade, education, petroleum, and wildlife conservation. He advocated for scholarships, vocational training opportunities, and improved welfare for South Sudanese students and refugees in Kenya. The ambassador also called for the removal of trade barriers and high import costs, encouraging Kenyans to invest in South Sudan.
Kon revealed that 270 South Sudanese companies are already registered in Kenya and proposed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the South Sudan Chamber of Commerce and the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) to promote cross-border business partnerships. Discussions also covered joint infrastructure projects, petroleum trade integration, financial linkages, tourism, and the establishment of a cross-border wildlife circuit through the Lokichogio corridor to enhance trade and tourism.
The meeting was attended by Evans Rioba, Head of Planning in the Office of the Head of Public Service, and Jacqueline N. Chole, Minister Plenipotentiary and Head of Economic Trade, Investment and Tourism at the Embassy of South Sudan.
