South Sudan launches private sector development program with World Bank Group
February 28, 2011 (JUBA) – The emerging independent state of South Sudan has launched an ambitious program that will embark on robust development of the country’s private sector following its people’s overwhelming vote for independence from north Sudan in the recent January referendum.
On Monday a joint program involving the government, the World Bank Group (WBG), part of the World Bank and a number of donor countries launched a private sector development program – described by the officials as key to development in the region.
The partnership will receive its primary funding from the governments of the Netherlands and South Sudan. It will also receive funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); and the governments of Denmark, Ireland and Norway.
The WBG also comprises of five closely associated financial institutions which include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). The Group also includes the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Each institution plays a distinct role in the mission to fight poverty and improve living standards for people in the developing world.
The ambitious program for South Sudan will be managed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of WBG, together with various ministries of the South Sudan government and private sector entities. IFC is the world’s largest development institution focused on the private sector in developing countries. It provides financing worldwide to help businesses create jobs, employ more people and supply services, in addition to delivering advisory services to ensure sustainable development.
IFC’s vice president for advisory services, Rachel Kyte, came to Juba for the launch of the program. Representatives of the donor countries were also represented during the launch. South Sudan’s vice president, Riek Machar Teny, officially launched the program in the presence of a number of ministers, including the minister of investment, Oyai Deng Ajak, who was key to the program.
The program will focus on implementing three of its components which will include investment climate reform project of which attracting new investments shall be one part. Also developing small and medium size enterprise project, primarily through training and capacity building; and access to finance project that explores new financial instruments such as leasing and mobile banking are among the various components to be covered by the program.
In his key note speech at the launch of the program, the vice president of South Sudan, Riek Machar Teny, said developing a vibrant private sector was a key strategy in broad-based economic growth and the development of South Sudan. “Nations are built by the private sector,” he told the gathering. He explained that South Sudan has never had a viable private sector, adding that there was need to develop human and financial resources in order to meet the people’s expectations in the new independent state.
The region’s Vice President assured the assembled that South Sudan would be a new frontier for investment, domestic and foreign. He explained that 98% of the existing businesses in the region are micro-enterprises, operating at very low capacities.
He lamented the fact that while the government has not been successful in encouraging business partnerships between domestic and foreign investors in order to develop the capacity of domestic investors. One of the reasons cited was unsuccessful foreign investment, due to a lack of transparency and an attitude of dishonesty and cheating applied amongst some Sudanese business people.
Machar reminded the participants of the SDG6.1 billion (US$2.3 billion) grain fraud which he said had embarrassed the government, because of fraudulent companies produced by people who wanted to get rich quick. These, he said, won contracts with government and foreign investors, who in the process lost the money to these scams. He called upon the perpetrators of the scams to, “Drop those false papers”.
“Be honest about your business and stop embarrassing your government,” the Vice President cautioned, amidst the silence of the hundreds of business people attending the launch.
Machar also revealed that another challenge facing the government was tax collection, especially at border points, by unorganised government officials or individuals with the intention of looting public funds.
He however said the government would continue to provide investment opportunities and ensure security and good governance, which he said were the main pillars in development.
Machar appealed to international partners to prioritise agriculture and livestock in the private sector program. He said South Sudan has the most fertile land for agriculture in Africa, which he said could turn the region into a bread basket in Africa, if not the world. He further explained that the oil revenues should provide a platform for diversification of the region’s economy.
The Vice President also appealed for the development of cooperatives in South Sudan, which he said could be effective tools in improving private sector programs.
(ST)
Nhomlawda
South Sudan launches private sector development program with World Bank Group
Traitors who want Riek Machar to be leader of South Sudan after Salva Kiir
Dinka and Nuer have different criteria against which a leader should be selected. These two communities will hardly agree on Riek Machar to lead them. The following are the qualities of a Dinka good leader: God fearing, persuasive, wise, knowledgeable, peace loving, good listener, hardworking, commitment to cause of people’s interests, brave and war strategist but always use violent as a last resort for problem settlement between his people and other communities or nations, and hardly use violent against his people to settle dispute. On the other hand, a Nuer good leader characteristics include: physically strong and violent, his success and respect level is determined by the number of disasters he had created regardless of their outcomes and long term impact on his people and other communities, use violent as an instant respond without first prioritizing dialogue and other methods of problems solving among his subjects and other communities and nations, short sighted, reactive and lack qualities that unite people. Examples of those Nuer leaders that meet Nuer qualities of a good leader include: Paulino Matip Nhial, Gabriel Gatwech Chan (Tanginye), Riek Machar Teny, Peter Gatdet Yaka, Peter Bol Kong, Gatwech Dual, and Gatluak Gai among others.
Dinka will not agree to be ruled by Riek Machar as their president because he does not meet Dinka qualities of a good leader.
First Dr. Riek Machar had not done anything extraordinary during CPA interim period which makes his new leadership style distinguishable from his 1991 – 2002 leadership style which was based on Nuer principles of good leadership mentioned above. If Riek Machar had seen anything bad in this government that he would like to correct as president of South Sudan, he would have resigned and waited for next election to contest and convince South Sudanese to forgive him his liberation period mistakes and accept him to lead them as a redeemed person who had a clear vision to achieve during his presidency. If anything bad is said about Salva Kiir’s government, I don’t think vice president can be exempted from the government mistakes. I believe Dr. Riek Machar had never changed since his 1991 disastrous opportunistic attempt to hijack a successful movement for his selfish glory. He is just waiting for another opportunity to try to hijack South Sudan from true liberators as he attempted in 1991 but he will still fail with his evil and short sighted plans as he had done in the past. Drs. Riek Machar and Lam Akol, and their associates are people who cannot be trusted by any South Sudanese except traitors. If you need non Dinka leaders, you should talk about Pagan Amum, Wani Iga, and Hoth Mai who meet some of the criteria of being trusted and good leaders. For your information, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy – Martin Luther King, Jr.” and “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander – Aristotle.”
Riek Machar joined SPLA/M when it had been established and viable. He came in and destroyed it in 1991 on the advice of a British prostitute he called a wife. Dr. John Garang and his loyal commanders including current president Salva Kiir managed to rebuild SPLA/M to a great strength. Drs Riek Machar and Lam Akol rejoined in 2002 when CPA negotiation contact was established to secure their positions in Southern Leadership after signing of CPA since they were already marginalized in the north by NCP/NIF regime.
Riek Machar failed to control his SPLA/M Nasir faction which led to massacre of Bor civilians and disintegration of his militias into loose smaller rival groups which carried out series of atrocities in Nuer, Bor, and Padang land from 1991 to 2005. Dr. Riek Machar in 1991 killed all Dinka officers and soldiers in his Upper Nile division. What had changed from this tribal maniac from 1991 till now? Nothing! Riek Machar rebelled in August 1991 and surrendered to Khartoum ruthless jihadist regime in December 1991 without staging any resistant, merely four months after establishing his own rebellion and causing havocs in Upper Nile in the name of fighting for democracy within SPLA/M and self determination from the same enemy he had handed his land to. Pathetic! What a great shame indeed? Where are the qualities of leadership in him that will persuade South Sudanese to vote for him? Nothing!
Recently, Dr. Riek Machar allowed his wife to contest as an independent candidate in Unity State which led to a rebellion after she failed elections. If he cannot control his family members from working against the party in which he is a vice chairman and vice president of GOSS formed by SPLM, how can he managed to rule others when he had failed to rule his own house? Impossible! Many positions in Unity State, GONU and GOSS allocated to Nuer community are occupied by his relatives or close friends. What is a definition of corruption if this practice does not qualify to be called corruption?
Quack Dr. Riek Machar had never apologized for the atrocities committed against Bor, Padang and Nuer people during his 1991 fatal split of SPLA/M. People who were affected by his horrendous intended atrocities still hold him as an enemy. Without reconciliation, how will he rule them as their president? Impossible!
Ooh! I am forgetting that he sold South Sudan oil fields with everything in those areas including people to the Arabs’ ruthless jihadist regime to kill, maim and displace people there and extract oil to buy latest fighter jets and helicopters, tanks and other military armored vehicles, tactical surface to surface missiles and all other kinds of sophisticated weapons so that SPLA/M is quickly crashed in order for the aspirations of South Sudanese for justice, equitable development, equal political participation and self determination are dashed, just in exchange for an opportunity to be Al Bashir’s English Interpreter (politely known as ‘Assistant to the President of the Republic in charge of interpreting English communication/speeches’). Of course, God was on South Sudanese side and he failed with his evil plans to destroy people’s aspiration just for an interpreter position.
What a great shame this brainless traitor had brought to the African race in Sudan!
I believe his current position is enough for him to amass wealth as he is currently doing. People are still bitter about his 1991 fatal split of SPLA/M and subsequent betrayal of South Sudan people by selling their land, oil, and children for an interpreter position and creation of numerous dangerous militias that had turned greater Upper Nile into a human slaughtering zone till date.
Nuer should be ashamed of associating with and supporting him and his horrendous deeds and evil intentions.
To remind you, liberators are just watching and failure to drop his power greed and evil plans after July 9 will invite trouble to himself and his supporters.
Watch out not to be caught on the wrong side of history this time around.
Thank you for digesting these facts and stopping your blind support of these brainless and short sighted quack Drs. Riek Machar and Lam Akol which had shamed African race in the Sudan during liberation struggle and continue to do so till date.
Nhomlawda Ranchol – South Sudan ethnographic and political analyst
Abuoi Jook
South Sudan launches private sector development program with World Bank Group
Dear Mr Vice President,
I hope your government with President Salva Kiir has greatly humiliated Southern Sudanese in the sight of International Community that was initially enthusiastic about developing our new nation. The world is shoked by your unprecedented embezzelment of SDP6.1 Billion to so-called companies. when did southerners qualified to own companies if the Finance ministers were not allowed by presidency to loot public fun. Not every southerner dealt in such fraud but close to government leaders!!!
I Wonder whtehter late John Garang was running the government when such greed infested government. according the minutes of Rumbek Meeting always posted by Gatwech to heap corruption solely on late hero yet the current legitimate system of government with full budget entrenched itself in full scale corruption never witnessed world wide.
Dr Riek, never blame business men but you government runners are to blame
H5N1
South Sudan launches private sector development program with World Bank Group
To: His excellency Gat Machar (the wisest man in the GOSS) and the world bank.
Thats a very brilliant initiative. But incompetent Dinka fools AKA Food warriors will wreck it. Take my words for it, all the fools from Gogrial to Bor will run with their mouth wide open wanting to have a fair share of the cake like they did to the grain. Why waste your effort? They dont know development thats why they killed their Devil leader in a plane crash so that their current Gogrial one can soil his mouth a little. They are the architects of their own failures but without knowing it, because there is no way that people can fiercely argue in the plane with their leader leaving the pilot to have no responsiblity of the plane. This is a conspiracy caused by the Gogrial president to cause havoc between the Devil Garang and his entourage as revenge for what happened to him in Rumbek in 2004
foolish Majority
d.tanga
South Sudan launches private sector development program with World Bank Group
Colonials should not be allowed to decieve and exploit south sudan resources,goss put southerners first and foreigners last,Europeans are only after money of south sudan with this false projects, what happened to the $4billion dollar pledge run b world bank? it never materialised, now another new theft projects.