The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday named Haim Koren as ambassador to South Sudan, signaling the importance Jerusalem attributes to its relationship with the world's newest state.
Koren, a former director of the ministry's Political Planning Division, will for the time being be a non-resident ambassador, flying regularly from Israel to South Sudan. The appointment comes just a few weeks after South Sudan's President Salva Kiir visited Israel for a one-day visit. Jerusalem is keen on strengthening its ties with an arc of eastern African countries - Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan - which, like Israel, are worried about Iranian penetration and radical Islamic terrorism.
