Anthony Kon
Anthony Kon is a career diplomat, researcher, and author whose work has been shaped by more than three decades of engagement in diplomacy, strategic planning, regional cooperation, and multilateral affairs across Africa and the Arab world. His professional trajectory reflects a sustained commitment to institutional development, principled statecraft, and the advancement of peace and cooperation through public service, policy leadership, and analytical inquiry.
Diplomatic Service, Policy Leadership, and Research
Over the course of his career, he has held senior diplomatic and policy positions across diverse regional contexts. He most recently served as Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan to the Republic of Kenya and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment programcatalog (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements program (UN-Habitat) in Nairobi from 2025 to 2026. In this capacity, he engaged extensively with environmental diplomacy, sustainable development policy, and multilateral coordination within the United Nations system.
Earlier, he served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Sudan to the Arab Republic of Egypt from 2012 to 2017, with concurrent nonresident accreditation to Jordan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. During this period, his work focused on strengthening bilateral relations, advancing regional dialogue, and engaging with the political and diplomatic dimensions of Nile Basin cooperation.
From 2007 to 2011, he served as Ambassador of the Republic of the Sudan to the Democratic Republic of Congo, with additional accreditation to the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) and the Republic of Angola, while also acting as Envoy to the Great Lakes Region. This assignment involved sustained engagement with regional diplomacy, conflict-sensitive dialogue, and multilateral coordination in a complex geopolitical environment.
In addition to his ambassadorial service, he has held senior leadership positions within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Juba, including Director General for Research and Planning, Director General for Multilateral Relations, and Director General for Bilateral Relations. In these roles, he contributed to policy formulation, institutional coordination, and the development of strategic frameworks guiding external engagement. He also served as a member of the Technical Committee of the Sudanese National Strategic Council, where he contributed to long-term national planning and policy analysis.
Earlier in his professional life, he worked as a journalist with several daily newspapers in Sudan, focusing on Sudanese and Middle Eastern politics, public affairs, and analytical commentary. This foundation in writing and analysis continues to inform his approach to research and public discourse.
His work spans bilateral diplomacy, multilateral representation, strategic policy planning, regional dialogue, and institutional development, with particular emphasis on transboundary water governance, environmental diplomacy, and regional stability. His research and writing focus on Nile Basin diplomacy, hydropolitics, environmental governance, regional cooperation, and the political economy of shared resources. Across these fields, he seeks to bring together historical perspective, analytical rigor, and a constructive orientation toward cooperative solutions.
The analyses and perspectives presented in this book reflect the author’s independent scholarly judgment and professional experience. They do not represent the official positions of any government, ministry, or institution with which he is or has been associated.
Selected Ambassadorial Appointments
Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan to Kenya
Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan to Egypt
Ambassador of the Republic of the Sudan to the Democratic Republic of Congo
Foreign Policy, Strategic Planning, & Institutional Development
Research and Planning
Director General-level leadership in strategic frameworks, policy formulation, institutional planning, and external engagement.
Multilateral Relations
Senior responsibility for international organizations, multilateral diplomacy, and institutional representation.
Bilateral Relations
Senior responsibility for bilateral diplomacy, political engagement, and international cooperation.
Journalism, Public Affairs, and Analytical Commentary
Earlier in his professional life, Anthony Kon worked as a journalist with several daily newspapers in Sudan, focusing on Sudanese and Middle Eastern politics, public affairs, and analytical commentary. This foundation in writing and analysis continues to shape his approach to research, authorship, and public discourse.
Areas of Intellectual and Policy Interest
Nile Basin Diplomacy
Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Affairs
Great Lakes Region Affairs
Regional Cooperation
Multilateral Diplomacy
Strategic Policy Planning
Environmental Governance
Political Economy of Shared Resources
Independent Scholarly Perspective
The analyses and perspectives presented in his publications reflect Anthony Kon’s independent scholarly judgment and professional experience. They do not represent the official positions of any government, ministry, or institution with which he is or has been associated.
Explore the Author's Publications
Discover books, research, and long-form analysis addressing diplomacy, governance, regional cooperation, geopolitics, development, and the changing strategic environment of the Nile Basin, Africa, and the Middle East.