Chol Tong Mayay, South Sudan Ambassador to Russia|Courtesy

Moscow is preparing to open its embassy in the Republic of South Sudan, according to South Sudan’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation.

Chol Tong Mayay revealed this on Tuesday as he bid farewell to the Information Communication and Telecommunication Services delegation, who were in Saint Petersburg for the Russia International Economic Forum.

It’s not clear when Russia will establish its embassy in Juba.

However, the revelation comes a day after the national oil and gas company, NilePet, announced that it was near a deal with the Russian giant petroleum company Rossneft, to install oil pipelines and refineries for South Sudan.

According to the diplomat, between May and June, Russia and South Sudan signed some agreements and memoranda of understanding to extract minerals and explore petroleum in the Republic of South Sudan.

In an official Facebook post, Ambassador Tong encouraged the government of South Sudan to begin what he terms as real business with Russia.

He also encouraged Russian Companies to venture into South Sudan.

In July 2023,  the Ministry of Mining signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Geological Holding Growth Company to identify and create digital mapping of South Sudan’s minerals.

This was on the sidelines of a two-day Russia-Africa summit in Moscow, where Vice President of the Infrastructure Cluster Taban Deng Gai represented South Sudan.

In a statement, the Director General of the Russian Geological Holding Growth Company, Alexey Sergevich, said the imaging technology would expand aerial mapping, data collection, and seismic investigation of the country’s underground wealth.

Before the MoU, the Ministry of Mining announced the purchase of a geophysics airplane to conduct aerial surveys of the country’s mineral resources.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Chol Tong also announced that Russia has increased its scholarships to South Sudan this year to 25 from 5 previously offered to the country.