Neighbours and the Horn
Somalia and South Sudan
Somalia recognised South Sudan on 10 July 2011, the day after independence, and President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed attended the celebrations in Juba. Both are now members of the East African Community: South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, as EAC chair, witnessed Somalia sign its accession treaty on 16 December 2023. Somalia has an embassy in Juba, and Somali traders run businesses across South Sudan.
How do Somalia and South Sudan relate today?
The two governments are partners in the East African Community (EAC) and IGAD. Somalia's ambassador in Juba, Jama Hassan Khalif, met Vice President Benjamin Bol Mel on 12 November 2025. They agreed to work towards a formal trade framework (Eye Radio, 12 November 2025).
On 1 July 2026 Somalia's embassy in Juba marked Somalia's 66th national day. Adut Salva Kiir, South Sudan's Senior Presidential Envoy on Special Programmes, said relations were built on "mutual support, growing economic alignment through the East African Community, and joint regional security cooperation" (Eye Radio, 2 July 2026).
No bilateral trade is reported to UN Comtrade by either country.
When did contact begin?
Ties began before South Sudan's independence. Adut Kiir said the relationship "began in Nairobi, particularly in the vibrant Eastleigh market". She said Somali businessmen "came to the frontlines with the SPLA" and supplied food and fuel during the liberation struggle (Eye Radio, 2 July 2026). See Eastleigh and Somali business.
South Sudan became independent on 9 July 2011. A delegation led by President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed attended the celebrations in Juba. On 10 July state radio in Mogadishu said Somalia was "pleased to be one of the first states to recognize the new state of South Sudan" (Hiiraan Online, 10 July 2011). The government said it would deepen diplomatic and trade ties with a country "where a large Somali community have established businesses" (same source).
Who are the ambassadors and envoys?
Somalia to South Sudan
- Jama (Jamal) Hassan Khalif, ambassador in Juba in 2025 and 2026 (Eye Radio, 12 November 2025; Eye Radio, 2 July 2026).
South Sudan to Somalia
- No resident South Sudanese ambassador in Mogadishu was found in the sources.
Who built the tie?
- Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President of Somalia, led the delegation to South Sudan's independence day in July 2011 (Hiiraan Online, 2011).
- Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of South Sudan and EAC chair, attended Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's signing of the EAC accession treaty at State House Entebbe on 16 December 2023 (Capital FM, 4 March 2024). He invited President Farmaajo to Juba in October 2020 (SONNA, 3 October 2020).
- Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, President of Somalia, witnessed the signing of Sudan's peace deal with armed groups in Juba on 3 October 2020 (SONNA, 2020).
- Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of Somalia, took Somalia into the EAC and in March 2025 phoned Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar to urge dialogue (Eye Radio, 10 March 2025).
- Abdisalam Abdi Ali and Monday Semaya Kumba, foreign ministers, spoke by phone on 27 December 2025 after Israel's recognition of Somaliland (Eye Radio, 28 December 2025).
- Abdallah Hassan, chief executive of the Somali business community in South Sudan, arranged flights in April 2023 for about 75 people, mostly Somali students, stranded at Paloch after fleeing the war in Sudan (Eye Radio, 27 April 2023).
- Adut Salva Kiir, Senior Presidential Envoy, spoke for the presidency at Somalia's national day in Juba in 2026 (Eye Radio, 2026).
- Benjamin Bol Mel, Vice President, urged Somali investors in November 2025 to move "beyond mere trading" to building local capacity (Eye Radio, 2025).
What agreements have they signed?
No bilateral treaty was found. Both are bound by the EAC Treaty: Somalia signed the accession treaty on 16 December 2023 and deposited its ratification in Arusha on 4 March 2024 (Capital FM, 4 March 2024). In November 2025 the two sides agreed to work towards a formal trade framework (Eye Radio, 2025).
Which leaders have visited?
- 9 July 2011: President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in Juba (Hiiraan Online).
- 3 October 2020: President Farmaajo in Juba, welcomed by Kiir at the airport (SONNA).
- 16 December 2023: Hassan Sheikh and Kiir together in Entebbe, Uganda (Capital FM).
How much do they trade?
No official trade figures exist. Somali businesses are found "all over South Sudan", according to Adut Kiir (Eye Radio, 2026).
How much aid and money has gone in?
No aid flows between the two were found.
What about security?
South Sudan does not send troops to the AU mission in Somalia, and Somalia has no forces in South Sudan. Their security contact is political: in March 2025 Hassan Sheikh said South Sudan's stability was "integral to the peace and security of the wider region" (Eye Radio, 10 March 2025). See Foreign forces in Somalia.
How does South Sudan deal with Somaliland and the member states?
- In the 27 December 2025 call, South Sudan's foreign minister expressed "unequivocal rejection of any actions that undermine" Somalia's territorial integrity (Eye Radio, 28 December 2025).
- On 16 January 2026 South Sudan's foreign ministry backed the AU and IGAD positions on Somalia's "sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity" (Sudans Post, 16 January 2026).
- No offices or agreements between South Sudan and Somaliland or the member states were found.
Have there been disputes?
No disputes between the two governments were found.
How many Somalis live in South Sudan?
At the end of 2025 UNHCR counted 36 refugees and 127 asylum seekers from Somalia in South Sudan (UNHCR Refugee Data Finder API). These figures leave out the traders and workers who are not refugees.
Where does South Sudan stand in the UN and other bodies on Somalia?
- South Sudan chaired the EAC when Somalia joined (Capital FM, 2024).
- It supports the AU and IGAD positions on Somalia's unity (Sudans Post, 2026).
Related pages
Sources
- Eye Radio, 12 November 2025 · eyeradio.org
- Eye Radio, 2 July 2026 · eyeradio.org
- Hiiraan Online, 10 July 2011 · hiiraan.com
- Capital FM, 4 March 2024 · capitalfm.africa
- SONNA, 3 October 2020 · sonna.so
- Eye Radio, 10 March 2025 · eyeradio.org
- Eye Radio, 28 December 2025 · eyeradio.org
- Eye Radio, 27 April 2023 · eyeradio.org
- Sudans Post, 16 January 2026 · sudanspost.com
- UNHCR Refugee Data Finder API · api.unhcr.org
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