South Sudan’s infrastructure has never been properly developed. The country has poor roads, few schools and hospitals.
The ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), had a slogan of “taking towns to the villages” but after a decade in power, that dream hasn’t yet been realised.
“The roads are not there, we are not able to access all the rural areas, we have a lot of food shortages, we have health problems, we have no schools even this time in some of the places, so China has advantage because they have already walked that path and some of the lessons we take are that the SPLM learns from them,” said Bol Makueng, SPLM Secretary for Information.
The SPLM says it’s already learning the rural development model from China.
“China at this time is giving us capacity building, some of our cadres travelled to China they get lessons there, they interact with Chinese Communist party members, they are taken to rural areas, they visit the rural areas, they see the rural projects which can be emulated in South Sudan,” said said Bol Makueng, SPLM Secretary for Information.
But conflict remains the key obstacle. South Sudan has been riven by civil war, since December 2013 that has damaged the economy and hampered construction efforts.
China’s ambassador says it is keen to help the world’s youngest nation but says there must be peace, before there is meaningful development.
“Achieving peace in South Sudan requires efforts of all South Sudanese people and support of regional and international partners, let us join hands in this endeavours,” said He Xiangdong, Chinese ambassador to South Sudan.
China has since 2011 contributed 3500 peacekeepers and police to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, providing protection and medical services.
China has pledged to build five world class universities in South Sudan to promote education, Beijing is also involved in a number of road building projects across South Sudan however, and most of these projects are not yet completed due to the on-going conflict in the country. Many hope the conflict ends soon, so South Sudan can realise its dream of development.
