S. Sudan showcases investment opportunities at Kuwait summit

November 19, 2013 (JUBA)- South Sudan President Salva Kiir remains in the Arab Gulf state of Kuwait since Sunday when he left accompanied by a high level delegation to participate in the 3rd Arab- African summit.

Kiir was seen off at Juba international Airport by the Minister Cabinet Affairs, Martin Elia and a number of cabinet ministers, including information and broadcasting Minister, Michael Makuei.

It was unclear why the vice president did not accompany the President to the airport, as there were no indications he had travelled out of the country at the president left for Kuwait

Even then, a Spokesperson for the South Sudanese business group, Lual Bol Kuan, said the visit by the president provides an opportunity by South Sudan to showcase investment opportunities in the country.

“The conference is an opportunity to present to the international community development plans and how the leadership intends to prioritise projects and how to make business and investment climate here (in South Sudan) ripe for investments and trade”, Kuan told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

The president, according to a broadcast on state owned South Sudan Television (SSTV) was on Monday received by Kuwait’s leader, Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber.

Kuan said the President Kiir had held a series of meetings with investors in Kuwait, including the head of Zain, one of the mobile telephone companies with operations in South Sudan.

“As you may have watched yesterday on the SSTV, the visit of the president, especially the meetings he held with business groups, he made it clear that South Sudan was open for investment in key development areas,’’ said Kuan.

‘‘He (president Kiir) met with the head of the Zain Company which you know operates here. I am told the discussion was encouraging. The Zain management has accepted to extend their services and operation to areas they don’t yet cover here in South Sudan.’’

(ST)