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The Saudi Press Agency reported that Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Al-Khureiji and South Sudanese Presidential Advisor for National Security Tut Gatluak reviewed progress on bilateral cooperation during their meeting in Juba. The two sides expressed commitment to building on existing frameworks for partnership in various fields. Saqr Al-Qurashi, director general of the General Directorate for African Countries, joined the Saudi delegation for the discussions.
An Africa Intelligence report from May 2026 noted that the encounter follows a similar high-level visit in February when Al-Khureiji traveled to Juba and met with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir. The publication indicated that Saudi Arabia has been leveraging South Sudan’s established contacts with Rapid Support Forces leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo to advance mediation on the Sudanese conflict. That effort forms part of Riyadh’s broader regional diplomacy.
South Sudan and Saudi Arabia signed a general cooperation agreement in 2025 aimed at boosting economic ties, education collaboration and development projects, according to announcements from the South Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The pact provides a structure for increased investment and trade. Officials from both sides expect the agreement to expand commercial activity in multiple sectors.
Data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity places Saudi Arabia’s exports to South Sudan at $1.73 million against imports of $20,500, resulting in a $1.71 million trade deficit for the kingdom. These figures reflect the limited scale of commercial exchanges between the two nations at present. The agreement is intended to facilitate growth in those exchanges.
The talks come as Saudi Arabia continues its mediation efforts in the Sudanese conflict. Riyadh has hosted several rounds of negotiations in Jeddah aimed at resolving the fighting between Sudanese factions. Diplomatic sources have noted that South Sudan’s connections with key players have made it a valuable interlocutor in those processes.
