(JUBA) – South Sudan and Turkey are moving to give effect to a trade and economic cooperation agreement signed in Ankara in 2017. The two countries have since advanced talks on energy investment and tax treaties.
The original agreement was signed on 26th April 2017. South Sudan’s Finance Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau signed for his country. Turkey’s Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci signed for Turkey. It covered investment in minerals and mining, agriculture, livestock and fisheries, energy and tourism, science and technology.
The Consul General at the South Sudanese embassy in Washington DC, Gordon Buay, announced the deal at the time. He said it would improve bilateral relations in numerous fields. Mr Dhieu urged investors to explore opportunities in South Sudan, saying the government would provide security to projects.
Mr Zeybekci said the agreement was an important step in improving economic and trade cooperation. He said it would open doors to Turkish investors in mining, agriculture, livestock and fisheries. He also said Turkey wanted to start work immediately on agreements to prevent double taxation and to protect investments.
Turkey’s parliament approved the deal on 14th April 2022 through Law No. 7403. The approval was published in the Official Gazette on 29th April 2022.
The two governments agreed in November 2022 to expedite ratification of the agreement. Turkey’s ambassador to South Sudan at the time, Erdem Mutaf, met Vice President for the Economic Cluster Dr James Wani Igga in Juba.
Mr Mutaf said the two sides had decided to speed up the ratification process. The deal would allow Turkey to invest in South Sudan’s mining, agriculture, livestock and fisheries, as well as education and health.
The then National Minister of Trade and Industry, Atong Kuol Manyang, said in October 2025 that relations with Turkey are built on trust and shared prosperity.
She was speaking at the Turkey-Africa 5th Economy and Business Forum. She noted that Turkey was among the first nations to recognise South Sudan’s independence in 2011.
She praised Turkish Airlines’ direct flights between Juba and Istanbul as a gateway for commerce, tourism and cultural exchange. She also proposed a Turkey-South Sudan economic corridor focused on value addition and supply chain development in agriculture, logistics, renewable energy and mining.
In February 2026, Turkish energy investors met with South Sudan’s Minister of Energy and Dams, Agok Makur Kur, in Juba. The delegation was led by Gültekin Ertuk of Lamar Construction. It proposed short-term solar power systems and high-capacity generators, alongside long-term dam construction projects.
A Memorandum of Understanding was expected to be signed within a week to allow the company to begin operations. The ministry said reliable power remains one of the biggest constraints facing businesses in South Sudan.
Turkey’s Ambassador to South Sudan, Metin Ergin, also met with then Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel in June 2025. He outlined plans for enhanced bilateral trade, strategic investment and agricultural modernisation.
Talks between the two countries have also covered double taxation and investment protection agreements. South Sudan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Semaya Kumba discussed these issues with Turkey’s head of mission in 2024.
The then Trade Minister Atong Kuol Manyang said more than 260 South Sudanese graduates of Turkish schools are among the country’s future leaders.
Trade between the two countries remains heavily tilted in Turkey’s favour. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, Turkey exported $21.9 million to South Sudan in 2024. South Sudan exported only $701 to Turkey in the same year.
At current parallel market rates of about SSP 5,600 per dollar, Turkey’s exports to South Sudan are equivalent to roughly SSP 122.6 billion. South Sudan’s exports to Turkey are equivalent to about SSP 3.9 million.
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