Ethiopia and South Sudan have intensified talks on aviation and regional transport cooperation following a meeting in Juba between President Salva Kiir and Ethiopia’s Special Envoy and Finance Minister, Ahmed Shide Mohammed.

The discussions focused on strengthening South Sudan’s aviation sector, where Ethiopian Airlines is expected to provide training, management support, and a potential 49 percent stake in a future national carrier. The plan, first outlined in a 2023 memorandum of understanding, adheres to the African Union’s Yamoussoukro Decision to liberalise air transport across Africa.

Officials said the talks also addressed the development of a trade and transport corridor linking South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti. The corridor is intended to reduce regional trade costs and grant landlocked South Sudan direct access to Djibouti’s port. On August 20, 2025, South Sudan and Djibouti signed an agreement to establish river and dry ports at Juba, Bor, and Renk as part of the White Nile Corridor initiative.