World Bank: South Sudan’s economic diversification our key priority
April 03, 2011 (JUBA) – The newly appointed World Bank country manager for South Sudan’s, Laura Kullenberg, last week pledged full commitment to the institution’s mandate, citing economic diversification as an essential element in steering development in the semi-autonomous region.
One of Kullenberg’s key tasks, Sudan Tribune has learnt, will be to work with the country team to prepare a strategy to promote South Sudan’s economic diversification from the oil sector.
“We all know that the economy of this region is dependent on oil revenues. As such, we shall, in close cooperation with our country team, government and all stakeholders strive to ensure that the country diversifies into other sectors of the economy,” the new World Bank boss said, citing the agriculture and mining sectors.
Also top of the bank’s priorities, she noted, will be to deepen and strengthen the institution’s communication and collaboration with citizens and development partners.
“As part of our mandate, we shall also lead and support our staff in implementing the strategic priorities of the new Africa strategy while adjusting to corporate realities and existing opportunities,” added Kullenberg, who was accompanied the outgoing country manager, Laurence Clarke.
Clarke outlined some of the notable achievements of the bank during his three-year tenure. For instance, the World Bank-administered Multi-Donor Trust Fund for South Sudan (MDFT-SS), the bank reportedly intensified disbursement on projects for roads, water, agriculture, health, education, women’s activities, private sector development, strengthening systems for the southern government, among others.
The MDTF-SS consists of 14 external donors as well as counterpart funding from the Government of South Sudan (GoSS). As of February 2011, more than US$400 million was reportedly disbursed out of the total US$548 million paid to the trust fund by the World Bank and donors.
WORLD BANK FORECASTS FOR 2011
By the end of the first quarter, the bank projections reportedly indicate cumulative disbursement estimated at about US$415 million.
“We are also targeting total fund disbursement of about $450 million by June 30, 2011 and between $475 million and $500 million by end of 2011. On that basis, a mere $45-75m will remain for disbursement during the rest of the life of the MDTF-SS in 2012,” partly reads a fact sheet from the World Bank.
A US national, the new World Bank country manager joined the institution in 1999 as a senior evaluation officer in the operations and evaluation department, later followed by field tasks as senior operations officer in Mexico, Colombia and most recently Kosovo. Kullenberg previously held field managerial positions in Oxfam and the United Nations, before her recent World Bank appointment.
(ST)