South Sudan needs to participate in oil marketing – State minister
October 20, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan’s Federal State Minister for Energy and Mining, Angelina Teny, has called for the appointment of representatives from the Government of Southern Sudan in the team assigned to market and sell Sudan’s oil on international markets.
Below are some excerpts of the interview related to oil policy in Sudan and foreign investments:
What are the differences between SPLM and NCP on issues of oil, estimated production and fair distribution?
GoSS is suspicious about the figures announced by the federal government in Khartoum regarding the volume of oil production, which is gradually increasing. GoSS is uncertain about the oil production figures released by the federal government and also feels that its quota is not fair. …GoSS was not given any representation at the strategic stages of oil production and overseas marketing.
Is it true that you are ‘kept away’ regarding oil, as Deng Alore, the Cabinet Affairs Minister said, though you are the State Minister for Energy?
If GoSS is not represented in the oil production and marketing strategic phases and I’m a minister based in Khartoum and all facts and information are with personnel working on the ground, and if we have no genuine partnership at all oil process stages as I have mentioned, this means I was kept absent.
Some see that that GoSS and SPLM are working on attracting investment from African countries like Kenya, Uganda and South Africa at the expense of investments from Arab countries, an indication of your rejection of Arabs?
There is absolutely no rejection of … Arab investment. Before the formation of the National Unity Government based upon Nivasha accord and before the formation of GoSS, the former southern Sudan’s government maintained good relations with some GCC states. People believe that the South is having more investment relations with African states than the Arabs because the South is adjacent to these African states and its ports are nearer.
Do you welcome GCC companies to operate and invest in oil and petrochemicals in southern Sudan?
We do welcome these companies and grant them legal guarantees. Southern Sudan has huge investment opportunities at the oil and petrochemical sectors as all refineries are based in the North.
What are the investment opportunities available to businessmen and investors from the UAE in particular?
Southern Sudan is rich in untapped mineral resources. Kaboita in Southern Bahar Al Gazzal state and Al Booma in Upper Nile state are rich in gold … GoSS urged investors from the UAE in particular, to benefit from the investment opportunities in southern Sudan.
(Gulf News)
YihHon Alewei
South Sudan needs to participate in oil marketing – State minister
It is little too late but it will work if implemented!
The complaint raised by Mrs. Teny is little too late but it will work if the government of South Sudan stick with its proposals. It was in fact a mistake in the first place not to have representatives from GOSS assigned to international markets for Sudan oil.
How do you trust this government which have been ripping the country’s resources since our independent in 1956. There is no trust here, South Sudan government should be very serious about these things like the sale of oil, investment from foreigners. If you want South Sudan to get developed, you need to use what is called “Joint Venture” a type of investment which is divided 50/50 between a foreigner investor and the local businessman or government owned company. In that case, that will help the country in term of technology transfer from foreign investor to the local businessman or the government and government is the one getting the vast major of benefit from that, because this investor may invest in roads construct and that is a good opportunity for the locals as well.
I am very happy with the proposal even though it is too late. What you want to do is to push the button harder to get that block out of your way. Our country will not get development without resources, if our resources are manageed in a selfish way then, we will end up in a mess nothing will be achieved even though we will get our independent for North.
The outlined of the proposal about strategic stages of oil production and overseas marketing are very vital for the government of South Sudan to have people there to represent its interest and also witness the sharing of oil revenuse is fair and balance.
How do you know that you are getting the right share of oil while you don’t have anyone in the committee of overseas market. It is a wise idea and it needs furher strategies to get it on the row of implementation.
Thanks Mrs. Teny for your positive idea.
YihHon Alewei
Ezibon Kenyi Morbe
South Sudan needs to participate in oil marketing – State minister
Good idea Angelina, but i think your late, but not too late idea even contributed to the current polical crisis. What were your plans when you first took this SPLM portfolio position?
These were supposed to be the things for you to work out. So if you think you can now do something, please show us your strengths, we are eager to see new developments.