Japan-South Sudan Relations
Courtesy Call on Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide by H.E. Madam Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, Vice-President of the Republic of South Sudan
July 22, 2021
（Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office）
On July 22, commencing at 1:40 pm for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. SUGA Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan, received a courtesy call from H.E. Madam Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, Vice-President of the Republic of South Sudan, who is visiting Japan to participate in the Opening Ceremony of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The overview of the meeting is as follows:
- Welcoming the Vice President’s first visit to Japan, Prime Minister Suga stated that Japan was determined to take all necessary measures to counter infections and to realize a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. In addition, Prime Minister Suga hoped that South Sudanese athletes who have been participating in the long-term pre-Games training camp in Maebashi city will demonstrate their best performance. In response, Vice-President Nyandeng stated that this would be the second time for South Sudan to participate in Olympic Games and that she was pleased that the Tokyo 2020 Games would be held with the strong determination of Prime Minister Suga despite a number of challenges caused by COVID-19. She appreciated the warm welcome and wished for the success of the Games.
- Prime Minister Suga expressed his congratulations on the 10th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of South Sudan and the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Sudan, and stated that he hoped South Sudan would further make strong progress toward peace and development into the future. Prime Minister Suga also renewed his commitment to continue to support the nation-building of South Sudan in various ways, including through ongoing aid projects. After explaining that the peace process in South Sudan has been making slow but steady headway, Vice-President Nyandeng expressed her gratitude for the support extended by Japan to date. She also expressed her hope for continuous support of Japan for the nation-building of South Sudan, including that for young South Sudanese in the field of education.
- Prime Minister Suga asked for understanding and cooperation with respect to addressing issues related to North Korea, including the abductions issue. Prime Minister Suga also voiced his hope for participation of South Sudan in Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
- At the end of the meeting, they confirmed to continue close cooperation toward the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD8) to be held in Tunisia next year.