Ambassador Philip Jada Natana
Ambassador Philip Jada Natana is a distinguished career diplomat with nearly two decades of experience in public service and diplomatic relations. He currently serves as the Director General for Protocol and Public Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
His esteemed career began as the inaugural Chief Protocol Officer in the Office of the First Vice President in Khartoum and in the Office of the President of the Government of Southern Sudan, following the historic signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the establishment of two governments in Sudan in 2005.
From 2007 to 2011, Ambassador Natana worked as the Principal Liaison Officer for the Government of Southern Sudan to Eritrea. After South Sudan gained independence on July 9, 2011, he became the Head of the Diplomatic Mission and Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to Eritrea, a role he held until August 2012. He then served as the Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan to Eritrea from August 2012 to May 2014, accumulating over nine years of dedicated service in the region.
Ambassador Natana headed the South Sudan Embassy in South Africa from October 2014 to May 2018. In September 2018, he was appointed Ambassador to the United States of America by the President of South Sudan, serving in that capacity until October 2023. Additionally, he concurrently served as a non-resident Ambassador to Canada.
In terms of education, Ambassador Natana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, with a minor in Political Science, from the University of Asmara. He has further enhanced his diplomatic expertise through intensive courses at prestigious institutions, including the Clingendael Institute in the Netherlands and the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Pretoria.
His extensive experience and educational qualifications significantly enhance his ability to represent South Sudan effectively, both domestically and on the international stage.