South Sudan joins the World Organisation for Animal Health as 180th OIE Member Country and 54th Member of the OIE Regional Commission for Africa.
South Sudan is a landlocked country in northeastern Africa that gained its independence from Sudan in 2011. South Sudan is bordered by the Republic of Sudan to the north, Ethiopia to the east, Kenya to the southeast, Uganda to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the southwest, and the Central African Republic to the west. South Sudan has a population of approximately 8 to 10 million and a predominantly rural, subsistence economy. This region has been negatively affected by war for all but 10 of the years since 1956, resulting in serious neglect, lack of infrastructure development, and major destruction and displacement. Although reliable statistics lack today, South Sudan must be home to some 12 million cattle, 13 million sheep and 14 million goats, which makes it one of the premier livestock countries in Africa.
The country is a member of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union and is a prospective member of the East African Community (EAC). The Veterinary Authority is represented by the Department of Veterinary Services of the South-Sudanese Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Industry. The new OIE Delegate is Dr Jacob Korok, Acting Director General of Veterinary Services of the aforementioned Ministry
