South Sudan will be represented at Miss Grand International 2026 by Akoi Arok, 29. It is the 14th edition of the international beauty pageant based in Bangkok, Thailand.
Arok is 5’7″ tall. She speaks English, Arabic and Dinka.
Akoi Arok
Based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Arok is a lawyer, a writer and an entrepreneur originally from South Sudan. In 2003, she and her family immigrated to Australia.
From 2016 to 2020, she attended Victoria University in Melbourne where she earned a law degree. From 2020 to 2021, she attended The College of Law in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia where she earned a graduate diploma of legal practice.
From January 2025 to July 2025, Arok was a diversity and intercultural project officer of the city council of Melton, Victoria. On September 14, 2025, she announced her participation at Miss Australia Pageants 2025 as a national finalist and on September 16, 2025, she announced that she had signed with Real People Victoria, which is based in Melbourne.
On October 24, 2025, Arok represented Victoria at Miss Australia Pageants 2025 at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort on Hope Island, Queensland, Australia. She competed against 19 other candidates.
Arok was not able to win any of the five titles at stake. These were the winners:
- Miss Supranational Australia 2026 Rebecca Shandley
- Miss Global Australia 2026 Kymberlee Street
- Miss Intercontinental Australia 2025 Nicole Papadimas
- Miss Intercontinental Australia 2026 Janaya Reimers
- Miss Cosmo Australia 2025 Jada Kristile Kyle
Miss Grand International 2026
On January 28, 2026, Arok was appointed Miss Grand South Sudan 2026. Before her, four beauty queens have represented South Sudan in Miss Grand International:
- 2014: Diana Stevens (unplaced)
- 2015: Akan William (unplaced)
- 2016: Teresa Yuo (unplaced)
- 2017: Eyga Mojus (Top 10)
In October 2026, Arok will represent South Sudan at Miss Grand International 2026 in India. This edition marks the returns of not only South Sudan but also Honduras, Iran, Sierra Leone and Ukraine after skipping at least one edition.
Including Arok, more than 70 women are expected to compete for the title. Here are the other confirmed candidates:
- Sara Sheh, 22, Albania
- Alyanni Gómez, 25, Cuba
- Dominique Alagia, 21, Czech Republic
- Rebecca Attiogbe, 24, Ghana
- Ximena Carrillo, 22, Guatemala
- Emely Alemán, 27, Honduras
- Xuebing Liu, 27, Hong Kong
- Lakshita Thilagaraj, 23, India
- Anel Emel, 21, Kazakhstan
- Rufina Gasanova, 22, Kyrgyzstan
- Minshi Lin, 23, Macau
- Natalia Galea, 27, Malta
- Micaela Viveros, 21, Paraguay
- Milena Rabelo, 27, Portugal
- Alba María Ruiz, 22, Spain
- Patthama Jitsawat, 33, Thailand
- Maria Kolotilo, 24, Ukraine
- Pooja Ghodekar, 25, United Kingdom
- Lady Mosquera, 26, Venezuela
- Charity Mumba, 26, Zambia
- Shelly Usman, 27, Zimbabwe
Launched in 2013, Miss Grand International was founded by Nawat Itsaragrisil. He is a native of Damnoen Saduak, Ratchaburi, Thailand and an alumnus of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok.
Both Teresa Yuphayao Chaivisut and Ratchaphol Chantaratim serve as vice presidents of the organization. The former is a Bangkok native and the latter was born in Samut Prakan, Thailand.
Sovran Star 
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