South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has dismissed the country's Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Ramadan Abdallah Goc, amid an escalating visa dispute with the United States. The move comes after a diplomatic row between the two nations over the deportation of a man claimed to be a South Sudanese national.

The controversy centers around Makula Kintu, a man deported from the US to South Sudan. Upon arrival, Kintu presented a South Sudanese travel document under the name Nimeri Garang to immigration officials. However, further verification revealed that he was not Garang, but rather Kintu, a citizen of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). South Sudanese authorities denied him entry, arguing that he was not a South Sudanese national but a Congolese citizen.

The government maintained that it was not obligated to accept him since he did not hold South Sudanese citizenship. In response, the United States imposed a blanket visa ban on all South Sudanese nationals, citing the government's refusal to cooperate on deportations. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the measure, stating that the Trump administration was enforcing stricter immigration compliance protocols.

Since resuming office, President Donald Trump has aggressively cracked down on immigration, launching a series of deportation actions in recent months. The visa ban has significant implications for South Sudanese citizens, who will no longer be able to obtain visas to enter the US. The move is also likely to strain relations between the two nations, which have historically been tense.

In a surprising turn of events, South Sudan's foreign ministry announced that the government had chosen to admit deportee Makula Kintu "in the spirit of friendly relations between South Sudan and the United States." Ambassador Apuk Ayuel Mayen, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, confirmed Kintu's arrival, adding that he was received by immigration officials and US Embassy staff at the airport in South Sudan.

The dismissal of Minister Goc is seen as a significant development in the ongoing diplomatic dispute. Goc, who has been at the center of the migration controversy, will be replaced by Monday Semaya Kumba. The move is likely to be seen as an attempt by the South Sudanese government to placate the US and resolve the visa dispute.

The implications of this development are far-reaching, with potential consequences for diplomatic relations, trade, and economic cooperation between the two nations. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the US and South Sudan will navigate this complex issue and work towards a resolution.