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[Elisabeth Janaina]

Commerce Ministry unleashes a private sector development strategy plan

JUBA, 15 June 2013 – The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment
has unleashed a four-pillar strategy document, Private Sector
Development Strategy (PSDS) aimed at developing the private sector in
South Sudan.


Presiding over a Consultation Workshop held at Quality Hotel in Juba
on 14 June to make final and critical recommendations to the document,
the Acting Undersecretary John Pan Paguir said the document aims at
helping the government in creating appropriate environment for private
sector development while indentifying constraints that inhibit the
development of the private sector.


“A strong and vibrant private sector is what South Sudan needs. A
strong private sector will act as a tool to provide the much needed
employment opportunity to our people” Mr. Paguir said.



Mr. Panguir speaking to the press.
[Photo: Matata safi]


Much hope, he said has been placed in the strategy which indentified
four pillars on which private sector development will rest. He named
the pillars as the South Sudan Investment Climate Reform Programme,
the South Sudan Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development
Programme, the South Sudan Access to Finance Programme and Physical
Markets and Institution Building Programme.


Mr. Paguir who made the remarks on half of the minister of Commerce
Hon. Garang Diing Akoung, said his Ministry will put emphasis in
developing the administrative and regulatory environment in
spearheading the private sector development in the country.


This he said would include taking business registration hubs to the
states and developing the capacity of the customs officers in order to
improve the flow of International trade.

Participants at the workshop
[Photo: Matata Safi]


Mr. Paguir also underscored the need to very fast diversify the
economy saying the economy of the country can not only relay on oil to
fuel its economy. He said South Sudan could become the “Dubai” of
Africa if attention is given to explore its rich resources.


“Rwanda has a vibrant economy without oil; Botswana also has a booming
economy when they do not have oil” said Mr. Pauir.


The strategy was supported by the International Financial Cooperation
(IFC) and took eighteen months to be prepared after wide consultations
with the public private sectors, donor members and the diplomatic
communities among others.


The workshop attacked representatives from the government, Private
sector, civil society and donor community.


Reported by Matata Safi

Committee on OP thefts releases findings

JUBA, 14 June 2013 - The committee formed by the President of the
Republic Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit to investigate the thefts that
occurred in March in the Western Wing of the administrative block
under the Office of the President has released its findings.


The committee chaired by Justice John Gatwech Lul has found
incompetence, gross negligence and lack of inter-departmental
communications as some of the factors that may have led to the March
15 and 23 thefts.



Justice Lul addressing the press today.
[Photo: Matata Safi]



The committee also put the total amount of the money stolen at 208,
543 South Sudanese Pounds and USD 14, 000 as opposed to the "millions"
earlier reported in the media. Justice Lul, who is also the
chairperson of the South Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission, said the
committee has already handed over the findings to the President.


H.E President Kiir in the wake of the incidents issued a Republican
Order No. 01/2013 forming the committee to investigate the
circumstances leading to the theft.


Click here to read the full report.


Reported by Matata Safi

Farmers urged to form associations

JUBA, 14 June 2013 - The national minister of Agriculture, Forestry,
Cooperatives and Rural development Hon. Betty Achan Ogwaro has urged
farmers to form associations if they are to fight food insecurity in
the country.



Addressing farmers from Eastern Equatoria's Magwi County on Tuesday,
Hon. Achan urged the farmers to work hard in order to promote cereal
productivition in the area. Hon. Achan who was hosted by the State’s
minister of Agriculture Mark Akiu, visited five progressive famer’s
groups at selected locations in the county supported by the FARM
Project Organization.



Agriculture minister Hon. Achan being shown a high quality banana
produced from one of the farms.

[Photo: Gabriel Lawrence]



The visit, Hon. Achan said was to assess how the farmers are
progressing in terms of agricultural production this rain season and
to understand their challenges. Hon. Achan who underscored the
government's committment in supporting farms groups urged the farmers
not to wait for government support to start production.



“Do not wait for the government support to begin cultivating. Start
and the government support will come when you have already began”,
Hon. Achan said. Maize is one of the major crops grown in the area
besides cassava, sweet potatoes, ground nuts and bananas among others



Mr.Oyet Moses, a member of Ayfat farmers group called on the
government to provide their groups with quality seeds and pesticides.
He said most of the seeds being used by the farmers are of low quality
and not resistant to drought and pests.



Reported by Gabriel Lawrence

“It’s time to work for a peaceful South Sudan”, former militia

JUBA, 14 June 2013 – Former militia leader Gen. Johnson Olony who
denounced rebellion against the people and government of South Sudan
recently has called on other militia groups still at large to lay down
the weapons and heed the amnesty declared by the President of the
Republic of South Sudan H.E Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit.



Formerly based in South Sudan’s Unity State, Gen. Olony came back with
over two thousand fighters and weapons. He reported to the Government
in Unity State last week and decleared it is time for all South
Sudanese to work for a peaceful country.



“It’s now time to work together to fulfill the dream of the South
Sudanese President Salva Kiir”, Gen. Olony stated.



This brings to three the number of militia groups which have joined
South Sudan government since independence nearly two years ago. Major
General James Guit accepted the government amnesty last year. Babiny
Monytuil, leader of another militia group also joined the national
government early this year.



“This is where you were born and grew up, you are South Sudanese and
this country belongs to all of us,” said General Johnson Gony Buliu of
the national army SPLA who received the group according to a press
release from the country’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.



David Yau Yau in Jongolei’s Pibor country and Gordon Kong who is
fighting in Unity State and Upper Nile state remain the only two
militia groups that are yet to take advantage of the amnesty issued by
H.E President Kiir on the July 9 2011.



Please click here to read the press release.



Reported by Matata Safi

Reformed rebels to convince Yau Yau

JUBA, 14 June 2013 (NASS) - The political wing of the rebel groups
which have taken up the amnesty given by the President have promised
to help the government win back the renegade David Yau Yau, the only
remaining rebel who has not respond to the pardon.


The efforts were revealed yesterday during a meeting with the minister
for Information and Broadcasting Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin. Tut
Gatluak who heads the political wing says communication is going very
well and that there is a possibility that Yau Yau will be in Juba in
the next few days. He also disclosed that Johnson Olony was on his way
to Juba while their general commander Gordon Kong was also preparing
to come.


Tut further appealed to the government of South Sudan to help Khartoum
reach a consensus with the rebels in Sudan to allow the two nations to
enjoy peace and stability. Dr. Benjamin welcomed the initiative saying
it will help in nation building.


In a separate development, the Chinese telecommunication company ZTE
yesterday donated the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting a
number of television facilities to enhance the quality broadcasts.


ZTE is the company chosen by the government of South Sudan to work in
the transformation of country’s information and communications systems
from analogue to digital. It is one of the leading Chinese
telecommunication companies competing internationally in manufacturing
digital facilities with Samsung, Apple and Nokia.


Earlier, South Sudanese Olympic marathoner Guor Marial has also called
on the youth to stand with the government in building the nation. Guor
who is now an American citizen said there are many athletes and
business people working with the government to build the country.



Reported by Francis Oliver Kenyi and Martin Jada Gabriel, News Agency
of South Sudan (NASS)