U.S. based International investors tour WES’s industrious zones
By Richard Ruati
July 17, 2009 (NZARA) — The United State Agency for International Development (USAID) briefly visited WES’s Capital Yambio and Nzara towns their primary aim was the British colonial Agro-Industry Complex based in Nzara; the team was led by the US Consulate General Erin Tariot.
Upon landing at the Yambio dust airstrip, they were warmly received by the Acting Governor Col Joseph Ngere Paciko.
Mr. Erin said that, “the visit was to create support and economical development in agriculture and infrastructure in WES, and maintaining the agricultural functions in WES based on the type of food production.” He added that, “success of this will improve and guarantee food security in WES.”
The USAID has announced allocation of additional budget of 72 million USD meet the humanitarian need of people in southern Sudan following the recent developments in Juba.
Sudanese Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Hassabou Mohamed Abdel-Rahaman, told SUNA on Thursday following a meeting with a USAID delegation in Khartoum that the meeting has reviewed the humanitarian situation in the south and the work of the joint government- UN teams for the assessment of the humanitarian needs in southern Sudan.
In his introductory speech to the visiting team, Col Paciko pointed out that, “The visit is crucial and historical for the investors to come and have an overview of WES, which is one of the largest states in Southern Sudan.”
Col Ngere assured the US investors that, “WES main economic activity is agriculture and about 97% of the indigenous are basing on agricultural production, the agricultural product which ranges from cereal, coffee, palm oil, mangoes, pineapples and many other vegetation products.”
Ngere said that, “Although WES is yet to embark on fertilization cultivation, the GOSS and the state Government is trying and looking forward to improve the state of Agricultural extension in the state. WES is known as the bread basket of Southern Sudan and the neighboring countries like Uganda, Congo and the CAR.”
In related development Col Ngere state that, “Nzara Agro Complex Industry used to produce cotton unfortunately it collapsed in the early 90s and skillful laborers had all departed due to the civil war.”
He added that, “WES is having 22 government forestry reserves, a South African based company known in Southern Sudan as Equatoria Teak is investing in timber processing and GOSS department of Fisheries is investing in fish ponds in the state.”
The Acting Governor called upon investors to invest and promote the Agricultural recurrence in Western Equatoria State since it is the backbone of WES.
He went further to say that, “Insecurity has been the major threat to the farmers in WES, up-to-date the farmers are not stable, good number of them have been displaced by the notorious LRA rebels which began since 2006.”
Col Ngere reassured the US delegation of protection and stable security, as the Government is trying its best to push the LRA now heading to the Central African Republic and Congo. He concluded by saying the days of the LRA are counted.
The Nzara Agro-Industry complex was established in 1943 by the British colonial Government in the Sudan and was then called Azande Scheme. Its aim was to boost socio economic development and good standard of living for the entire population of the then Western Equatoria Province and the neighboring southern Sudan provinces. It is situated within an area of four (4) square miles and located 15 miles west of Yambio en-route to Ezo and Tambura counties.
The greatest assets at the Nzara Agro-Industrial Comples include buildings for factories, offices, warehouses and residences. The defunct Complex has huge junk of prime industrial land, and in several locations including Juba capital city of southern Sudan, its assets are worth millions of US Dollars.
According to one official of Nzara Agro complex, “the Government of National Unity (GONU lacks political will to swiftly and precisely address the rehabilitation of the complex since the signing of the CPA.”
He added that, “All the actors or stakeholders in GOSS and WES have to strive to use local resources in mitigating rehabilitation and general maintenance of the complex.”
Public and private partnership is being considered at Nzara Agro-industrial complex. The Equatoria teak company is currently finalizing some tender agreement to rent part of the warehouse space at Nzara complex that could earn to up to 10,000$ per month.
Steffol Geldenhuys is the Acting Manager of Equatorial Teak, the company processing Timber in WES.
He pointed out that, “there is still a great vacuum to involve local, foreign, and private investors to invest at the complex, [but] this needs partnership discussion and negotiation.”
The impediments of this partnership possibility is the ill defined legal status (ACT) of the complex that impact negatively on its mandates, ownership and eligibility for partnership or credit worthiness, all effort must be done through legal policy.
(ST)