South Sudan-China Think Tank Forum in Juba on Friday, Oct 25, 2019 | Credit | Sunday Okun

The Vice President has called on South Sudanese to work hard in order to solve the country’s challenges and match the development path of China.

In the past 70 years, China has gone from being one of the world’s weakest economies to one of its strongest, according to the World Bank.

Its economic growth acceleration was mostly attributed to reforms in the late 1970s led by the Communist Party of China.

In contrast, South Sudan is yet to emerge from its political and economic crises after the country descended into civil war just two years after independence.

As a result, the government and three UN agencies said last month that more than half of the country’s population are severely food insecure, needing emergency food donations.

But Vice President Dr. James Wani Igga says South Sudan is a rich country, and it can develop if only its citizens work harder.

“We must work harder to properly solve all challenges but through dialogues and negotiations, not fighting even on petty issues,” said Dr. Igga during the first South Sudan-China Think Tank Forum in Juba on Friday.

“China’s prosperity came about as a result of hard work and logical approach, by the way.”

However, power wrangles among the leaders, especially those in the ruling SPLM, of which Dr. Igga is a senior member, are said to be an obstacle to development efforts in the new nation.

For his part, the Chinese ambassador to Juba, Hua Ning stressed that the think-tank forum was held at the right time, saying it focused on the common desire of China and South Sudan to work together to build a better future.

He says China will continue to help South Sudan in its quest for peace and development.

“We practice the five main principles of China-African cooperation and firmly support South Sudan in achieving peace, stability, and development. South Sudan people’s livelihood is our priority and we have built hospitals and schools.”

But several reports show that China, through its oil companies, is negatively contributing to the development in South Sudan by ignoring nest oil production practices and involvement in corruption.

The forum was organized by the Center for Strategic Policy Studies and the Institute of African studies at Zhejiang Normal University.