President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Thursday evening met the Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi at the State House in Juba.

Dr Al-Mahdi jetted in the country yesterday for an official state visit. More details about her discussion with President Kiir are yet to be public.

State House tweeted: ‘‘H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit received and met with Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi who paid a courtesy call on him at his official residence in Juba.’’

The minister also met the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring & Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) for assessment on the peace deal progress.

She was hosted by the commission chair Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai.

‘‘Very cordial meeting held this afternoon with H.E. Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan, and chair of IGAD Council of Ministers,’’ RJMEC tweeted on  Thursday evening.

 ‘‘The RJMEC Chair had the opportunity to comprehensively brief the new Sudanese FM on progress and obstacles in the implementation of the R-ARCSS.’’

Appointment

Dr Al-Mahdi found her way to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok on February 9, 2021, when she was picked to head the foreign affairs ministry.

She came into office at a time that Khartoum has lots of diplomatic engagements that need robust input from the foreign affairs ministry. For instance, the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam poses a threat to Sudanese water sources. Apart from this is another simmering border dispute with Ethiopia which risks blowing up if not properly managed.