South Sudan is deepening economic ties with China, looking to one of the global powerhouses as a key partner in building a stable and spurring economic growth.
Speaking at a high-level symposium in Juba on Monday, National Minister of Trade and Industry, Atong Kuol Manyang, described the existing relationship between China and South Sudan as a cornerstone of the nation’s development strategy, with now a renewed focus on empowering local entrepreneurs.
The China-South Sudan High-Level Peace and Development Symposium, under the theme, “A Joint Symposium for Building a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity”, has now set the stage for an open discussion on the path forward.
Minister Atong emphasized that while the partnership has already yielded significant results in oil, construction, and education, the next chapter must focus on grassroots economic growth.
For years, the partnership with China has been visible in the nation’s most critical sectors. Chinese investment has been instrumental in the petroleum industry, a vital source of national revenue.
Chinese companies have also played a key role in construction projects, helping to build the infrastructure necessary for a modern economy.
Furthermore, the collaboration has provided invaluable educational opportunities, allowing many South Sudanese citizens to gain skills and expertise through training programs in China.
Minister Atong said this foundation is strong, but now the nation must build upon it and must translate this high-level cooperation into tangible opportunities for the South Sudanese.
“South Sudan’s existing relationship with China is rooted in cooperative ventures that have been instrumental for capacity building. This partnership has enabled many South Sudanese to benefit from expertise and training in China,” she said.
The minister noted that the engine of the Country’s future economy lies in its small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), highlighting China’s own remarkable journey, where empowering the private sector lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.
South Sudan, she argued, can draw valuable lessons from China’s rapid economic development and poverty alleviation strategies.
However, she acknowledged the significant hurdles local businesses face, including limited access to financing and a need for greater technical skills.
To address this, the Minister outlined a clear vision for enhanced collaboration with China through investing in people andcreating more capacity-building programs designed specifically to train and mentor South Sudanese entrepreneurs.
Sharing knowledge and facilitating the transfer of modern science and technology to help local businesses innovate and compete, she further proposed.
Atong urged that there should also be an opening up of finance and working together to solve the challenge of helping SMEs secure the capital they need to start, operate, and grow.
She, however, noted that the haunting effects of conflict have been a major barrier to development, stressing that peace is the essential prerequisite for any meaningful economic progress.
With strong political will and the steadfast support of allies like China, she expressed confidence that South Sudan can overcome its obstacles and build a self-sustaining economy that provides opportunities for all its citizens.
