S. Sudan launches modern business and investment city
June 22, 2013 (JUBA) – The government of South Sudan has officially launched the construction of a Juba Specialised Economic Zone (SEZ), an industrial area for business and investments activities.
While speaking at the ground breaking ceremony held in Jokukwe boma, the country’s commerce, industry and investment minister said the creation of the SEZ indicates the desire and determination of South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state to encourage and promote investments and economic development in the state.
Garang Diing Akuong, however, said South Sudan President Salva Kiir will do whatever it takes to promote peace and unity, which he described as prerequisites for a conducive investment climate.
“The specialized Economic Zone is indeed in line with the policy of the government of the Republic of South Sudan, which promotes national and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in South Sudan”, said Akuong, who represented President Kiir at the occasion.
The FDI investment inflow, the minister added, will not happen if there are no clear investment policies at national or state levels.
“..nevertheless, provisions of these kind of infrastructure and availability of others such as tax incentive, non-tariff barriers, power, roads, access to finance etc, will pave the way for more investments to consider South Sudan as one of best investment destinations in the region if not the world”, he stressed.
The minister further said South Sudan, with its rich natural resources, needs to diversify its resources in order to enhance economic growth and reduce too much dependency on other countries.
“To remedy this situation, we need to transform our economy in order to obtain stronger growth, economic diversification, job creation and socio-economic development”, he noted.
The establishment of SEZ will provide an opportunity for small and medium sized enterprises (SME) and their linkage to large-scale enterprise to seize this opportunity for their development and expansion, the minister added.
Obba Cecilia Peter, Central Equatoria’s minister for cabinet affairs, said the SEZ has its foundation rooted in late Dr. John Garang’s vision of “Take the Towns to the People”.
“Today, his [Garang] vision through this groundbreaking ceremony becomes a clear reality,” said Obba, on behalf of the governor, Clement Wani Konga.
Meanwhile, Joseph Kulang, the chairperson of Central Equatoria Investment Authority said the project, if fully implemented, will offer first class service required by the people of this country and the region at large.
The zone, further said, is geographically designed to provide logistics for import and export goods as well as providing socio-economic development in terms of employment and services and to enhance economic growth.
The Juba SEZ through the Enabling Legislation 2013 shall be granted a special mandate in order to promote industrial development, he stressed.
(ST)