The World Times sends journalists to South SudanThe editor says:In northeastern Africa, the White Nile River gallops endlessly and flows northward. It nourishes the crops and people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and also witnesses the war and displacement on this land. On the bank of the river stands South Sudan, the youngest country in the world. On July 9, 2011, it officially declared its independence and became the 54th country in Africa and the 193rd member of the United Nations. On the same day, a reporter from the Global Times rushed to South Sudan to listen to the people's aspirations for the future in this new country. Fourteen years later, the reporter once again set foot on this land to explore its development footprints since independence and record the local people's thoughts and hopes for national development.

¡°Shining buildings¡± coexist with mud road

Recently, walking on the streets of Juba, the capital of South Sudan, the Global Times reporter saw that the wounds of the country's turmoil have not yet healed, and the infrastructure is still scarce. However, some new buildings that have sprung up from the ground have highlighted the country's fragility and turmoil. Amazing resilience.

As early as 4,000 years ago, there were indigenous tribes in the present-day Sudan. In 1899, Sudan became the co-governor of Britain and Egypt, after which the north and south of Sudan were divided into two entities. In 1956, Sudan declared independence and became the largest country in Africa with an area of 2.5 million square kilometers. However, Sudan had a large number of ethnicities and tribes, the northern population was predominantly Muslim, and the southern population was predominantly Christian and religious. During this period, Sudan's rich oil, copper, and uranium resources were mainly concentrated in the southern region, today's South Sudan. Religious and ethnic divisions and the unjust distribution of resources and wealth led to numerous civil wars in Sudan, killing millions.

In January 2011, under the influence of outside forces such as the United States, a referendum was held in southern Sudan to decide to separate from Sudan. On July 9, 2011, South Sudan officially declared independence. On this day, the World Times reporter saw young people dancing joyfully in Juba and the elderly embrace with tears. A woman who breastfed a baby at the time excitedly told reporters that she thought the day was over and life would open a new page.

After independence, South Sudan has indeed achieved some development in infrastructure, education and so on, such as an article published on the World Bank website in October this year showing that a staff member of the agency was on the way from Juba International Airport to the World Bank¡¯s office, ¡°shocked by the glowing new buildings erected in the city.¡± South Sudan media that in extremely difficult circumstances, the country still completed or advanced some critical infrastructure projects, such as the reconstruction of roads connecting Juba with neighboring important towns and the expansion of Juba International Airport.

In March this year, with the help of a number of countries and international organizations, a new modern hospital was built in East Avil County in northern South Sudan, which is my hometown, where I was born. Now, when I was 70 years old, a hospital was finally built at the doorstep of our home. It was a fortune. Over the years, we had to travel a long way to get medical care, and now finally don¡¯t do that.¡±

However, South Sudan has not achieved sustained domestic stability after independence. In 2013, armed conflict broke out between the country's President Kiir and the opposition, which quickly turned into inter-ethnic violence, killing hundreds of thousands of people and displacing millions. Although the parties to the conflict signed the "South Sudan Conflict Resolution Agreement" and the "South Sudan Conflict Resolution and Revitalization Agreement" in 2015 and 2018 respectively, and established a transitional government, the implementation of the agreements has been slow, local violence and political differences have continued, and the peace process has been hit repeatedly.

Political turmoil has limited the development of South Sudan. The Global Times reporter recently saw in South Sudan that many areas of the country still lag behind infrastructure, even in the relatively good conditions of the capital Juba, many crossroads have no red and green lights, which is similar to what South Sudan reporter saw when independence. Vehicles rely on driver's judgment, order is rather chaotic.

In Juba, citizens mainly rely on privately operated motorcycles or vans to travel. The power supply is also extremely unstable, and frequent power outages are common occurrence. The hotel where the reporter stays has to stop electricity several times a day.

According to some analysts, South Sudan¡¯s economic development after independence has been in trouble, and the United States is not responsible for domestic factors, as well. The New York Times and other U.S. media have said that Washington contributed to the birth of South Sudan. In 2011, the White House issued a statement stating that the U.S. government ¡°has proudly played a leading role in South Sudan¡¯s independence¡± for two consecutive periods. The Atlantic Monthly magazine said that Washington helped South Sudan independence by providing military equipment to some political forces in Africa and imposing sanctions on Sudan.

In the past two years, South Sudan has suffered constant floods, severe damage to agricultural production, inability to be self-sufficient in food, and worsening humanitarian disasters. At the same time, the country's inflation rate remains high. The Global Times reporter recently found that the price of cornmeal doubled in half a year at the farmer's market in Juba. "He hasn't had enough to eat for three days," a mother holding a wasted child told reporters in a refugee camp outside the city. Mosquitoes that breed after the flood also brought malaria and other diseases, while local crude clinics are short of medicines and doctors are understaffed.

"We're already like this, how can we take in others?"

In August this year, after Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu once again proposed a plan to relocate the population from the Palestinian region to Gaza, the Deputy Foreign Minister made a rare visit to South Sudan. The Associated Press quoted sources as saying that the United States and Israel and three Eastern African countries were discussing a plan to relocate the population from Gaza, while South Sudan was said to be one of the countries the United States considered to relocate.

Some media analysts in the Middle East believe that if the above plan comes true, it will mean that the Palestinians will move from Gaza, which has been torn by war and famine, to South Sudan, which has also been in turmoil for a long time and relies heavily on humanitarian assistance. This idea has aroused strong doubts in the international community. Some commentators pointed out that South Sudan, which is economically fragile, urgently needs international support, and receiving a large number of refugees will obviously aggravate its crisis.

For the average people in South Sudan, the rumor makes them emotionally complicated. A young man in Juba said in an interview with a reporter of the Global Times, ¡°We are all like this, how do we accept others?¡± which largely reflects the hearts of many people in the area.

South Sudan¡¯s economy is almost entirely dependent on oil, with oil exports accounting for nine percent of national fiscal revenue. At the same time, the country relies on Sudan to transport crude oil to global markets, while the latter charges transit fees. It is worth noting that since April 2023, Sudan has been encircled by armed conflict, affecting South Sudan¡¯s oil exports. The Global Times reporter learned in an interview that last year South Sudan¡¯s GDP was less than $6.3 billion, compared to more than $11 billion when it became independent.

In order to protect oil exports, South Sudan and Sudan issued a joint statement on October 6, stating that the two sides agreed to protect oil facilities and the central station of the pipeline to transport South Sudan¡¯s oil to the port of Sudan in eastern Sudan.As part of efforts to deepen economic relations, the two countries also announced the establishment of a Joint Economic Committee and proposed the establishment of a free trade zone in the port of Sudan to promote cross-border trade and investment and support the stability of the oil industry and its supply chains.

Some people believe that South Sudan, a young country, is still exploring how to develop, but its situation after independence reminds the world that resources will not automatically transform into happiness. Only the stability of the system and the unity of the people can the White Nile truly usher in the dawn of development and revitalization.

According to Juba University political science professor Barnabah, if South Sudan can get out of the dungeon of power struggle, truly establish inclusive and stable political order, and turn resources into people's welfare, then this land still has a chance to create brilliant. he stressed that for the people of South Sudan, peace is not just the signing of a ceasefire agreement, but people can reassure after the flood retreat, children can turn on the electric lights at night, read, and the refugee camp is no longer full of crying and suspicion.

¡°Resolving differences through dialogue is crucial for South Sudan¡¯s development.¡±

Professor Sadiq of the University of Juba told Global Times that South Sudan is still struggling to lay the foundation for peace, build a national framework, and gradually bring social and economic life back on track. Those achievements are not brilliant enough, but every step is not easy for a country born out of decades of war. The country¡¯s future hope is to consolidate these fragile peaceful achievements and turn them into tangible national development and improved livelihood.

In September this year, the Government of South Sudan launched a 10-year strategic development plan aimed at building a prosperous, productive and innovative society while consolidating peace and security. According to media reports, the South Sudan Development Plan 2026-2036 will serve as a benchmark for tracking progress, conducting evidence-based assessments and reviewing national policies and programmes. The Minister of Finance and Planning of the country emphasized that the government's agenda is to improve the lives of present and future generations through inclusive, coordinated and results-oriented planning and measures. Gbeho, Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Resident Coordinator of South Sudan, acknowledged the progress made by the country, but also pointed out the challenges it faces. "Resolving differences through dialogue, making a public commitment to peace and the restoration of peace agreements and listening to all voices are crucial to the development of South Sudan".

With the support of several international organizations, South Sudan is actively promoting vocational training to boost people¡¯s employment. According to an article published on the African Development Bank Group website in September this year, the African Development Fund has partnered with the United Nations Development Programme and the government of South Sudan to launch a total training program worth more than $186 million. The project has helped some 2,000 local young people acquire employment skills and effectively boost their job competitiveness.

It is worth mentioning that China has provided a lot of assistance to South Sudan in the fields of energy, infrastructure and peacekeeping, becoming a reliable partner of the country. China was one of the first countries to establish relations with South Sudan, and last year the relationship between the two countries rose to a strategic partnership. Chinese companies not only help South Sudan mining and utilizing oil resources, but also play an important role in safeguarding oil fields and promoting oil exports.

In addition, the Chinese medical team has been running around the country every year to rescue a large number of people in South Sudan. China¡¯s Peacekeeping Infantry Camp is stationed in South Sudan under the UN framework to protect the safety of civilians and has won a good reputation. At the China-South Sudan High-Level Peace and Development Seminar held in August this year, Mary, the second vice president of the ruling South Sudan People¡¯s Liberation Movement, said she believes that with China¡¯s support, South Sudan¡¯s national vision for building peace, unity and prosperity can come true.