Juba needs to pursue rapprochement with the U.S

The relations between Juba and Washington were strong prior to independence in 2011, with the United States having strongly backed the then rebel guerilla Sudan People’s Liberation Army in the fight against the Islamist regime in Khartoum.

The relationship between the two countries soured post-independence and worsened following outbreak of conflict in December 2013.

The Obama administration imposed state of emergency, which successive administrations on Capitol Hill have not lifted.

Of late, the Trump Administration announced the revocation of all visas and banned renewal of visas for South Sudanese passport holders with Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, accusing the South Sudan government of refusing to take in it’s citizens repatriated from the U.S in an orderly manner.

The U.S has since 2018 imposed arms embargo on South Sudan, and also imposed sanctions on several political and military officers in South Sudan, over accusation of hindering implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

The latest signal from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to send a delegation to Washington for direct bilateral talks; is the first step to thawing relations with the Trump Administration.

South Sudan needs America’s support and it also needs China’s support and other powerful nations to achieve peace and stability.