Historic stride in Gulf outreach
Touching down in Juba after a three-day mission to the United Arab Emirates, Vice-President for the Economic Cluster Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel portrayed the trip as a watershed for South Sudan’s young economy, bridging capital-hungry sectors with Gulf liquidity.
Diplomacy fuels economic cluster growth
Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba told reporters the mission followed up on President Salva Kiir’s June engagement with Abu Dhabi and “aimed to deepen cooperation in oil, agriculture, banking, trade and infrastructure,” echoing Kiir’s directive to accelerate economic diversification.
VP Bol Mel also handed a personal letter from President Kiir to Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, underscoring the growing political rapport between the two capitals.
Banking pact modernises financial system
A cornerstone of the visit was the memorandum of understanding sealed between the Bank of South Sudan and the Central Bank of the UAE, intended to sharpen supervision, upgrade digital platforms and bolster cross-border settlements.
Governor Dr. Addis Ababa Othio hailed the accord as “a technical leap that paves the way for mobile wallets, real-time gross settlement and greater forex stability,” while UAE counterpart Saif Hamid Al Dehairi pledged capacity-building assistance.
Energy and farms attract Emirati investors
Sectoral roundtables explored equity stakes in mature oil blocks, plans for a downstream refinery near Palouch, and a fresh push to irrigate 400,000 hectares along the White Nile using Emirati technology and climate-smart seed varieties.
Officials said provisional agreements could see cargo corridors opened through Port Sudan and Dubai’s Jebel Ali, trimming logistics costs for maize, sorghum and sesame exporters by up to 30 percent.
Roadmap ahead for both capitals
Kumba characterised the mission as “very successful” but stressed the importance of quick follow-through, noting that technical teams will return to Abu Dhabi within eight weeks to finalise timelines and financing structures.
Analysts in Juba argue the UAE outreach could diversify revenue streams beyond crude while signalling that South Sudan remains open for business despite regional headwinds and global rate hikes.