“American business community to invest in RSS”, US ambassador

			Ms Page stresses a point. [Photo: Matata Safi] JUBA, 22 December 2011 – The American Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan Susan Page has assured of the readiness of the American business community to invest in the Republic of South Sudan. Speaking to the press in Juba yesterday the US Ambassador said the December 14th to 15th Iternational Engagement Conference that was sponsored by the government of the United States of America, UK, Norway, UN, African Union, World Bank IFC and NGOs had scored two important successes that will see many investors coming to invest in the world’s newest nation. Ambassador Page outlined the waving off of sanctions on the oil sector with South Sudan and the commitment of the government of the Republic of South Sudan to join the International Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a body that looks at transparency over payments which oil, gas and mining which are aimed at improving the service delivery to all citizen of a member country as being landmark achievements. She explained that the removal of the sanctions on the oil sector in South Sudan will allow easy importation of equipments and other items for the development of the oil sector. “These two aspects are tremendous achievements for South Sudan for it will become easy doing business here in South Sudan for investors”, she said.  She added that the engagement conference was an important one for South Sudan in that it availed the opportunity for the Republic of South Sudan to realize its development priorities, to send a very strong message to the international community about the investment opportunities and the good climate for investors that the new country offers. She further stressed that it also demonstrated the support from the international community for the Republic of South Sudan and its people. She said there is strong support from the US leadership both in government and leaders of other institutions in America to support and engage in the private sector in South Sudan. She warned that oil can be both a blessing and a curse. She said this has been witnessed in a number of countries and stressed that EITI is one area where the support of private sector and also the local NGOs that resources can be better managed for the benefit of the people of South Sudan. Meanwhile the minister for Information and Broadcasting Hon. Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin expressed gratitude to the government of the USA for the initiative of organizing such an important conference and said it was of greater benefit to the baby Republic of South Sudan. He said a lot on the private sector development, good governance and accountability were addressed. In a related issue Dr. Marial praised the Republic of Kenya for the retreat it organized for the ministers of the new Republic of South Sudan. He pointed out there some media houses had reported that the ministers had gone for a holiday. “We were not on a holiday as some of you reported, in fact you were in a holiday writing your articles”, he said. He said Kenya has an experience of over 40 years of independence and shared its experiences, challenges and successes with South Sudan .                                                                                                http://www.goss-online.org/magnoliaPublic/en/newls.htm