By Ater Yuot R. Amogpai
About 90% of South Sudan land
constitutes of savannah or natural forests. It is the world’s youngest country that has fallen victim to the “natural
resource curse”. South Sudan became independence from Sudan, which was up to
July 2011 the largest African state of 2.5 square kilometers. Some 98% voted in favors of a
South Sudanese state, after two prolonged conflicts, the first was in 1955-1972
and the second occurred in 1983-2005. This new nation 640,000 square kilometers
(similar in size to France)
borders 6 countries: Sudan to the north, Ethiopia to the east, the Central
African Republic to the west. Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and
Uganda all lie south. Much of the land forms
part of the White Nile
watershed and is thus a vast flood plain.
The total population is estimated at around 11 million inhabitants. The
majority of which are located in rural areas with only less than 10% of them
found in urban areas. The most populous city is the capital Juba with approximately
372000 inhabitants. The country is made up of ten states, then into
counties which are in turn sub-divided into Payams which split into Bomas, at
village level. At the latter level
individual clans are represented.
South Sudan is a landlocked
country situated between latitudes 3° and 13° N and longitudes 24° and 36° E. Altitudes are between 400 m and 3000 m above sea
level. Mean average temperature is between 26º-32ºC. South Sudan has a
semi-humid climate. Average national rainfall is between 500 mm to 2000 mm. The
wettest region in South Sudan is the equatorial forests in the south-west at
1200-2200 mm. The driest region is that of the south west and receives only 200
mm. The rainy regime is mono-modal and the wet season is from April to December,
with predominance in July, which frequently results in mass flooding of the
Nile. During this time navigation around the rural areas in motorized vehicles
is problematic. Therefore, transportation and potentially any business or
infrastructural development is restricted to the dry season.
South Sudan is a piece of
land equivalent to a paradise of Adam and Eve that was mentioned in the bible. The
land is blessed with extremely valuable resources: water, forests, animals,
minerals, and the fertile land that could make the country the richest in the
world. Water is the nation’s greatest asset and so plentiful rain means agriculture potential
contribution to food security. Some 30 million ha of arable land of which only
5% is cultivated. Land use generally, could reduce food import dependency
per year. It would also present a useful export opportunity to the neighboring
countries.
The
high potential of hydropower could meet the country’s needs of electric energy.
The forests would present wooden and paper products and provide a significant
market potential. With country’s reserve animal resources the high potential of
milk and meat products would be secured. The fertile land makes it easy to pave
roads throughout the country and accelerate the development and variety
businesses. All these resources if well enhanced and developed could prove a
significant future contribution to the wealth of the country.
In
spite of oil, the country is severely underdeveloped meaning
subsistence agriculture provides the only source of “income” for the vast
majority.
Indeed, the number of people living below the poverty line is very high. State
security and welfare is far from assured, although developing. South Sudan's
dependency on oil revenues lies currently at 98% of the national budget and
although South Sudan holds more than 75% of the total oil reserves of the
previous Sudan, it still needs Sudanese oil infrastructures, facilities and
ports in order to export it to international markets. Such complications make it difficult to see oil
as a safe long term socio-economic or geopolitical strategy.
A
huge development and investment conference was successfully completed before
eruption of current fighting in December 15, 2013. A fighting has assured
unwillingness and disgrace opportunity of development, prosperity and security
of the nation. The conference was the chance of development to take place since
the creature. Instead, we favor fighting and destruction rather than
development. With these huge resources our leaders have failed to turn them
into the benefits of the nation. 11 million inhabitants compared to these
resources could make each of South Sudanese a millionaire. South Sudan a
paradise on earth has absolutely turned into a hell on earth by our
unwillingness and disgrace of development, prosperity and security of the nation.
