NEW YORK – An awkward conversation between Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and South Sudan counterpart Monday Semaya Kumba, in which the later received uneasy questions, has been received with mixed reactions online.
Meeting on the sidelines of UN General Assembly, a smiling South Sudan foreign minister Semaya, accompanied by peacebuilding minister Stephen Par Kuol and envoy to UN Cecilia Adeng – walked to Lavrov to greet him.
Semaya shook hand with Lavrov and started: “Your Excellency” before introducing himself.
Lavrov said: “Nice to meet you.” Then added. “Where is your boss?” and laughed. Semaya, dodging the question, was asked again, before replying “my boss is you” and both giggled.
Semaya then introduced Amb. Cecilia Adeng and gestured to Stephen Par, introducing him as “Minister of peace.”
The Russian replied while shaking Par’s hand, “and the minister of war?”
“We don’t have a minister of war,” Amb. Semaya said laughing out laud.
The video was widely circulated on social media by South Sudanese public, who expressed mixed reactions on what it means.
Many condemned Lavrov for allegedly uttering demeaning remarks against South Sudan, while others laughed it off and hoped Lavrov was joking about the recent change of the name of the US Secretary of Defense to Secretary of War.
South Sudan and Russia have maintained warmer ties since the country gained independence in July 2011. Moscow has been a vocal backer of Juba at the UN Security Council meetings, and has repeatedly called for the removal of targeted sanctions and arms embargo against the country.