Sa’ar hosts South Sudan’s FM, touts expanding ties and aid amid refugee crisis

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar meets with his South Sudanese counterpart James Pitia Morgan in Jerusalem, highlighting Israel’s humanitarian assistance to the country as the sides express their intention to expand cooperation in “many fields.”

In joint remarks, Sa’ar says Israel continues to assist South Sudan during the ongoing refugee crisis in the African country through MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, as thousands flee Sudan’s civil war, and adds that Israel continues “to expand meaningful cooperation with South Sudan in many fields.”

“We appreciate your support for Israel in international forums,” Sa’ar tells Morgan.

Morgan responds warmly, calling Israel South Sudan’s “best friend in the world,” and noting that Juba recently granted Israeli veteran David Uri Ben-Uziel a state honor over five decades after he led a Mossad mission to support South Sudanese rebels seeking autonomy during the first Sudanese civil war.

“We highly appreciate Israeli support and its remarkable achievements in innovation, technology, agriculture, water management, healthcare, education and national development,” Morgan says, adding that he hopes the two countries will “chart a forward-looking agenda that translates our strong political relationship into tangible economic and development outcomes.”

Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel visited South Sudan last summer, marking the first official visit to the East African country by an Israeli government representative. The visit came amid reports that Israel was in talks with South Sudan over the potential resettlement of displaced Palestinians from the war-torn Gaza Strip, though any such plans appear to have stalled as Washington advances efforts to shape postwar governance in the Strip.