AEC, oil industry investors welcome South Sudan Investment Drive in Johannesburg

The AEC believes South Sudan’s leadership has an obligation to creating an enabling environment of investors to put more money into the country. (Image source: AEC)

The delegation includes Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec, Minister of Mining Gabriel Thokuj Deng, Secretary General of the South Sudan Investment Authority Abraham Maliet Mamer, Managing Director of Nilepet Chol Thon Abel, and Chairman of the South Sudan Petroleum Commission Ceasar Marko.

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) commended Afrexim Bank for providing a US$500mn financing facility to fund power transmission, infrastructure and agricultural projects. They also commended President Cyril Ramaphosa and his energy minister Jeff Radebe for committing US1bn to oil and gas infrastructure projects in South Sudan.

NJ Ayuk, Centurion Law Group CEO and AEC executive chairman, said, “We are hopeful that the arrival of the South Sudanese delegation to South Africa will result in even more investment deals being announced. Johannesburg is the financial capital of Africa and I am bullish that we will be able to raise more money to secure and promote lasting peace and investment in South Sudan.”

The chamber believed South Sudan’s leadership has an obligation to creating an enabling environment of investors to put more money into the country. To achieve these great benefits, South Sudan needs to safely open up new oil blocks to exploration especially to African investors. Recent discussions between AEC, South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his cabinet agreed that economic growth must be the front and centre of South Sudan’s peace and recovery efforts.

“Investors need an enabling environment and we are spending a lot of money to help South Sudan achieve that. It is business that creates jobs and hope. Economic revival and business are the solution; not aid. Our leaders in government need to understand this. We cannot afford smallness in our drive for peace, Investment and stability when what South Sudan and most of Africa really need are big pragmatic common sense solutions,” Ayuk added.

The AEC has declared that they will support South Sudan and its people, but they will reject narrow agendas wherever they come from and put the country first.