The newly appointed 90 ambassadors where sworn in today in Juba amid some outcry due to the low number of women appointed to the diplomatic services.
Among the 90 ambassadors there are only eight women, making it less than ten percent for the women representation, very far from the 25 percent representation demanded by the Constitution.Ambassador Sitona Abdul Osman said she was concerned that she was the only woman among second grade ambassadors although her curriculum qualifies her to be a first grade ambassador.
She noted that in grade one there are only men.
Ms Abdul said if the movement really values the work of women it has to ratify its position.
Seven women were sworn in as third grade ambassadors.
Ambassador John Andruga Duku questioned the ability of the President of the Republic and the minister for foreign affairs to fulfil the Constitution regarding women’s representation.
President Salva Kiir Mayardit confessed he was unable to find enough women to fill the gap among the new ambassadors.
He repeated the commitment of the SPLM to empower women.
The national ministry for foreign affairs, Nhial Deng Nhial, said he did not define yet the countries the ambassadors will be appointed to due to financial constraints from the closure of oil production.