South Sudan’s Minister of Presidential Affairs as well as various Ministers of Petroleum, Mining, Finance and Planning, and Energy and Dams opened the SSOP summit, announcing that the country is officially open for investment.
Hon. Puot Kang Chol, Minister of Petroleum during the opening ceremony of the South Sudan Oil and Power conference
South Sudan’s Minister of Presidential Affairs H.E. Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin officially opened the South Sudan Oil & Power (SSOP) summit (https://apo-opa.info/
H.E. Dr. Benjamin remarked that, “When you talk about energy and power, it is the engine of growth in South Sudan,” reiterating the summit’s theme and pivotal role the country plays in facilitating growth and investment on a regional basis.
In his address, Hon. Puot Kang Chol, Minister of Petroleum, provided an update to the country’s potential membership in the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO), stating that, “This year, the President of APPO requested for South Sudan to join the organization. We will study the document, go through it, and decide whether we will join.”
In addition to the potential APPO membership, Hon. Chol emphasized the role the country has and continues to play in facilitating regional growth, stating that, “The main objective of this forum is to leverage our position as the only major producing country in the east African region and to attract investment across the entire value chain.”
Similarly, the respective Ministers of Mining, and Financing and Planning announced that the country is officially open for investment, offering investor-friendly policies and fiscal terms that make it both competitive and highly attractive. During their Ministerial addresses, the South Sudanese Ministers stated that opportunities are opening up across every sector of the burgeoning economy.
“In South Sudan, our investment laws are friendly, our regulatory frameworks are good and the opportunities to invest are high. Our licensing processes are very easy. To get a permit, it takes a week,” stated South Sudan’s Minister of Mining Hon. Martin Abucha.
Hon. Dier Tong Ngor, Minister of Finance and Planning reiterated this statement while recognizing the crucial role the country plays as a driver of investment and development across the broader East Africa market. “The theme under which this year’s conference is organized is timely. South Sudan is an engine for East African growth. To become an engine, we must use oil resources to tackle constraints on growth and development and create the jobs needed to develop the economy.”
With these remarks, the sixth edition of the SSOP conference which is organised by Energy Capital & Power was officially opened.