Hussein Abdel Bagi Akol, South Sudan’s vice president in charge of the cabinet’s service cluster over the weekend met Sudanese university professors in Juba and said the government is working to absorb them into local universities and provide them housing.
The meeting held last Saturday at the residence of the Sudanese Ambassador to Juba, Jamal Malik, was attended by South Sudan’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Gabriel Changson Chang, University of Juba Vice-Chancellor Professor John Akej, and Investment Minister Dieu Mathok.
The meeting discussed the engagement of the Sudanese academics by South Sudanese public universities; the University of Juba, the University of Upper Nile, the University of Bahr el-Ghazal, Dr. John Garang Memorial University, and Rumbek University.
Vice President Akol stressed that the government is diligently working to provide housing for the professors.
“We will improve the living standards in terms of housing and transportation,” he said. “The Sudanese professors should not return to Sudan when peace is restored there without training South Sudanese academics.”
Akol asked the Sudanese professors to return to Sudan gradually if stability returns.
For his part, Professor John Akech said that the Government of South Sudan is ready to assist the Sudanese professors with attaining work permits, affirming that the government is working with the Sudanese Embassy to address all challenges facing Sudanese professors in South Sudan.
Regarding salaries, Minister Changson confirmed that the Sudanese professors’ salaries will be at par with their South Sudanese colleagues.
“The salary of a professor in South Sudan is high despite the inflation we are experiencing,” he stated.
Sudanese Ambassador Jamal Malik lauded the Government of South Sudan, noting that it is the only country that opened its doors to the Sudanese people fleeing the war back home.
“A large number of Sudanese entered South Sudan without visas and identification documents. We commend the efforts of President Salva Kiir Mayardit in the Sudan peace process,” he said. “We also appreciate the efforts made by the people of the South Sudan towards the Sudanese people and we have seen them through TV programs, local radio stations, and social media platforms. The presence of Professor John Akech of the University of Juba is the biggest proof of that.”
Amb. Malik affirmed that the relations between the two countries are very strong and called for strategic coordination in political, economic, and security aspects.
Meanwhile, the representative of the Sudanese professors, Professor Adel Salman, expressed gratitude to all South Sudanese universities for accommodating Sudanese professors.
He thanked the South Sudanese Presidency and people for allowing the Sudanese people into the country.
“We are also grateful to the Sudanese embassy for facilitating residency procedures that preserve the human dignity of the Sudanese people in Juba,” Prof. Salman said. “We feel that we are part of the South Sudanese community.”
