The International Engagement Conference outlines pathways to prosperity for South Sudan
7 min readSecretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday urged the leaders of oil-rich South Sudan to manage natural resources prudently and warned them against falling prey to unscrupulous corporations and countries.
“We know that [natural resources] will either help your country finance its own path out of poverty, or you will fall prey to the natural-resource curse, which will enrich a small elite, outside interests, corporations and countries, and leave your people hardly better off then when you started,” she told a development conference for South Sudan at the Marriott Wardman Park hotel in Washington.
Earlier, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit spelled out his priorities, including greater transparency and accountability, rooting out corruption and disarming militias in a nation that has seen decades of conflict.
Mrs. Clinton welcomed Mr. Kiir’s agenda as a good start, but said “the proof is in the pudding. … What matters most is whether the government follows through on it.”
South Sudan gained independence July 9 after two decades of civil war. Roughly the size of France, it is one of the least-developed countries in the world.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit greets the European co-sponsors of the International Engagement Conference, including (from left) Endre Stiansen, special envoy from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Cevdet Yilmaz, minister of the Turkish Ministry of Development, and Susan Page, U.S. ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan, after speaking about the Republic of South Sudan at the Marriott Wardman Park on Wednesday. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/The Washington Times)For years it was deprived of development by Sudan’s government in Khartoum. The new country now lacks basic infrastructure, including roads, hospitals and schools.
Rajiv Shah, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, said education is one of the top necessities in South Sudan.
“In parts of South Sudan, a young woman is still more likely to die in child birth than complete a secondary education,” he said.
Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department eased sanctions on Sudan that had restricted investments in South Sudan’s oil sector, which is inexorably linked to the north.
In the absence of U.S. competition, companies from China, India and Malaysia have dominated the oil and petrochemicals sector.
“Companies flouting the sanctions have chosen to disregard human-rights violations and are less likely to respect the citizens or the environment,” said Raymond Gilpin of the U.S. Institute of Peace.
Continuing conflict with Sudan has been another deterrent to foreign investment in South Sudan.
Mr. Kiir accused Sudan of violating his country’s airspace and bombing villages, including refugee camps. He called on the international community to help remove potential flashpoints for war between the two countries.
Mrs. Clinton said South Sudan’s ability to attract trade and investment depends on improving security on both sides of its northern border. She said conflicts in Sudan’s states of Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, which threaten to spill into South Sudan, must be resolved.
She called on the leaders of South Sudan to resolve outstanding issues with Sudan, but added that this work cannot be done without a willing partner in Khartoum.
Press Release:The International Engagement Conference for the Republic of South Sudan Kicks Off in Washington
Thomas Kenneth From Washington DC
15 December 2011
Washington — The International Engagement Conference for the Republic of South Sudan co-hosted by USA, UK, Norway, Turkey, EU, UN, AU, World Bank and International Finance Corporation kicked off yesterday at the Marriot Wardman Hotel in Washington D.C. The opening session was addressed by the President of the Republic H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, USA secretary of state Mrs. Hilary Clinton, Mrs. Suzan Page the USA Ambassador to South Sudan, and representatives of USAID, AU, and Turkey government, among others.
In his opening remarks, President of the Republic H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit conveyed sincere gratitude of his people and government to the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Turkey for convening the conference and for raising the profile of the Republic of South Sudan. President Kiir highlighted the milestones in South Sudan’s long walk to freedom under the cruel heel of war since the independence of Sudan in1956 up to the CPA in 2005, saying that the people of South Sudan in this period knew nothing other than war to free themselves from repression, exploitation, discrimination and slavery.
H.E Kiir called on the conferee to join South Sudanese people in building a strong united productive, prosperous, tolerant, democratic and secured South Sudan.
President of the Republic briefed the conferee on the vision of the new state up to 2040, guided by the principles and values of democracy and political pluralism, to address issues of ethnic diversity, devolution of power through decentralization and self-governance. He explained that the vision is centered on supremacy of the rule of law and separation of powers, respect of human rights and fundamental freedom, justice and equality, accountability and transparency.
President Kiir underlined the steps taken by the government in creating a peaceful atmosphere for good governance and investment, among which are disarmament process, declaration of assets by the end January 2012.
He said Abyei issues cannot be resolved militarily but peacefully through freewill of the Abyei people and in the spirit of the CPA. President Kiir called on the international community to intervene and stop Khartoum from violating air space of South Sudan and bombing villages including refugee camps.
The United States Secretary of State Mrs. Hilary Clinton said the International Engagement Conference meant to help the people and leadership of South Sudan chat their future, as President Kiir has laid out an ambitious vision for development, USA fully supports the vision. US Secretary of State called for resolution of the conflicts in Blue Nile and South Kordufan and urged South Sudan to end transition from armed struggle to nation building.
Mrs. Clinton called on the conferee to help President Kiir’s pledges to build strong institutions without corruption and promote transparent and accountable governance. She expressed pleasure of USA administration for the steps taken by SSNLA in considering stronger auditing and anti-corruption measures, adding that friends of South Sudan are actively helping South Sudan government to manage its oil responsibly. Mrs Clinton expressed hope that the world will over the next years see the roads and schools built, clean water provided and every single man and woman will say that it is because of good leadership. Mrs. Clinton said aid alone is not enough, private enterprises must be established to create jobs for the people.
Mrs Clinton appealed to the Government of South Sudan to open up a political space to allow the young men and women take part in civil society, free press and genuine political competition, and do more to ensure women full participation in every level of society for the women are marginalized of the marginalized. She concluded her speech by saying that “South Sudan needs intensive care from all development milestones because the birth of a new country, like the birth of a new child”.
Representatives of USAID, Norway, UK and Turker in their remarks assured their full support to the development vision for South Sudan.
Secretary Clinton to Address International Engagement Conference for South Sudan
Notice to the Press
Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton will deliver remarks at the South Sudan International Engagement Conference on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at 10:00 am at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
The two-day conference will highlight the national development vision of the Republic of South Sudan and the opportunities for investment in the country. The conference will also salute the people of South Sudan for achieving their independence in July. President Salva Kiir Mayardit will address the conference and outline the development and policy priorities of South Sudan that serve as the foundations for the new nation. The conference will also focus on private sector and investment opportunities, in line with the economic priorities of the Republic of South Sudan.
Those scheduled to speak at the two-day event include: Secretary Clinton, Administrator Shah, UN Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk, U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Princeton Lyman, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Susan D. Page, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer, and OPIC President and CEO Elizabeth Littlefield. World Bank President Robert Zoellick, Senator John Kerry (D-MA), and Representative Donald Payne (D-NJ) will also participate, as well as development ministers, foreign officials, and private sector and NGO leaders.
Secretary Clinton’s remarks are open to the press.
Pre-set time for video cameras: 7:30am from the Woodley Road entrance.
Final access time for journalists and still photographers: 8:30am from the Woodley Road entrance.
Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) a U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver’s license, passport).
For more information about the South Sudan International Engagement Conference and to view the agenda, including additional sessions open to the press please click here.
Secretary Clinton Delivers Remarks at the International Engagement Conference for South Sudan
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