By Chol D. Johnson
Senior Presidential Advisor has expressed optimism in South Sudan’s financial obligation through leveraging on the country’s natural resources on Thursday at Chinese Embassy in Juba.
Speaking during the fourth plenary session of the 20th central committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and jointly advancing modernization by China and South Sudan, Kuol Manyang Juuk said through flourishing economic activities, South Sudan will be well positioned to achieve development.
“Our goal is to become a productive, prosperous, and peaceful nation and lift our people out of poverty within the next decade” he said.
Kuol urged Chinese to collaborate in building critical infrastructure and leveraging the natural resources for mutual benefit.
He acknowledged that China had quietly contributed to the construction of critical infrastructure, including the ongoing development of a modern hospital in Juba.
Kuol underscored through agriculture country would produce sufficient food for domestic consumption and export.
He further emphasized that improved road infrastructure would stimulate trade, enhance security, and facilitate the efficient delivery of services.
Furthermore, Kuol expressed that the country with its population of approximately 12 million is blessed with abundant natural resources, oil, gold and fertile land, water and sunshine.
“We are not poor; we will remain so unless we harness these resources for the benefit of our people” he stressed.
The presidential advisor also acknowledged the concern at the continental level and the tragic images of young African men and women risking and often losing their lives while crossing the Mediterranean Sea in pursuit of a better future in Europe serve as a powerful call to action.
“For most, it is a journey of no return” Kuol underlined.
He remarked that it is the collective responsibility as Africans to address this crisis by prioritizing the development of Africa and ensuring that youth could find opportunity and hope within their own communities.
Meanwhile Chinese ambassador to South Sudan Ma Qiang said that in recent years, China-South Sudan relations have continued to develop.
Qiang said that Political mutual trust between the two countries has been consolidated, President Xi Jinping and President Salva Kiir Mayardit had a meeting during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in September 2024 with a series of important common consensus.
“Our two countries’ practical cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results” he noted.
He emphasized that a number of China-South Sudan “Belt and Road” cooperation projects such as the phase II of the Juba Teaching Hospital and Juncao Technology Cooperation are progressing steadily.
“In the future, we will continue to carry out new cooperation” Qiang expressed.
Qiang added that China is ready to take the opportunity of implementing the important outcomes of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC and jointly push for advancing modernization together with South Sudan, promoting common development and delivering greater benefits to our two peoples.
Relations between South Sudan and China are not a new phenomenon. However, since 2011 they have been steadily growing in terms of trade and investments.