By Matik Kueth
South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir, has appealed for collective action and inventive local solutions to tackle the country’s mounting economic challenges.
Speaking at the closing of the 8th Governors’ Forum in Juba on Monday, Kiir emphasized the urgent need for resourceful management and collaboration across all levels of government to steer the country out of its current economic difficulties.
“Our economy is in distress. The oil field of Paloch, which is the highest revenue earner for the National Government, is facing a double crisis,” Kiir stated, detailing the ongoing disruptions in the country’s oil industry.
He said the disruptions have been caused by the ongoing war in Sudan and the withdrawal of Patronus, a company crucial to oil production operations.
Kiir highlighted the government’s attempts to negotiate such issues, particularly his personal involvement in conversations with the Sudanese government.
“I am fully engaging our brothers in Sudan to allow unfettered access to engineers and flow of the materials to oil fields,” he said.
He underlined the diplomatic efforts being made with Sudan’s military leadership, noting that “General Burhan was supposed to come today [Monday], but because of our closing session of the Governance Forum, he could not come. And maybe in the few days to come, he will come here.”
The head of the state acknowledged that the external challenges are taking a toll on the country’s internal situation, particularly in relation to delays in salary payments and service delivery.
“These challenges are contributing to delays in salaries and service delivery. However, this should not be unasked,” he stressed.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to fulfilling its commitments to the people in the face of these challenges. Kiir also recommended increased coordination between national and local authorities in addressing such difficulties, as well as all levels of government working together to find realistic answers.
“I urge all of us to work collectively at the national, state, and administrative levels to implement the resolutions of the 8th Governance Forum,” he said.
On September 16, 2024, President Kiir and Al-Burhan, leader of the Sudanese Amry, discussed the resumption of oil exports through Sudan following four months of work on the oil infrastructure.
Kiir reaffirmed his government’s dedication to restoring peace and stability in Sudan.
However, Al-Burhan recognized President Kiir’s commitment to peace and stability and expressed appreciation for his efforts towards regional initiatives aimed at consolidating stability and economic growth between the two sisterly nations.
Despite this effort, nothing has yielded fruits. External issues, particularly oil outages and their rippling effects on the national currency, have put an additional burden on South Sudan’s economy.
The weakening of the South Sudanese Pound (SSP) versus the US dollar has exacerbated inflation, making it even more difficult for citizens to meet their daily requirements.
This call for collaborative responsibility at all levels of government exemplifies Kiir’s leadership vision for a sustainable South Sudan, in which local ingenuity may supplement national efforts to address the current crisis