By Matik Kueth
South Sudan and Uganda have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening regional cooperation, boosting trade, and promoting peace following a series of high-level diplomatic engagements in Entebbe, Uganda.
On Thursday, Dr. Bol Mel, South Sudan’s Vice President for the Economic Cluster, met with Uganda’s Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi.
The meeting, held at the invitation of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, marked a renewed effort to strengthen bilateral ties between the two neighboring nations.
Mel pledged continued support for Ugandan businesses operating in South Sudan, assuring that trade operations would remain stable and uninterrupted, signaling a fresh wave of economic cooperation between Juba and Kampala.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni marked a renewed effort to strengthen bilateral ties with South Sudan in 2025. [Photo: Courtesy].
“I thank President Kiir for the confidence he has placed in you, and we look forward to stronger cooperation between our two nations,” Barugahara said.
Later, Barugahara and Uganda’s Minister of State for Regional Cooperation, John Mulimba, accompanied Vice President Mel to State House Entebbe for a strategic meeting with President Museveni.
“We commend our leaders for strengthening the special bond between our nations,” Barugahara shared in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “Long live Uganda, long live HE. @KagutaMuseveni, long live HE. @benbolmel, long live Gen. Kainerugaba. Long live South Sudan, long live Uganda,” he stressed.
Barugahara hailed the summit and Mel’s visit as a turning point in East African diplomacy, highlighting the pivotal roles of youth empowerment, peace, and trade in shaping the region’s future.
Vice President Mel was in Uganda representing President Kiir at the 12th High-Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) of the Peace, Security, and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region.
The summit, chaired by President Museveni, brought together Heads of State and Government from 13 signatory countries, as well as representatives from the African Union, United Nations, International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and other international partners.
The leaders also discussed crucial issues, such as renewing peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and reiterated their commitment to the region’s long-term stability and development.