By Anak Dut

The two-day sports finance conference, which kicked off in Juba yesterday, aims to unlock the potential of the country.

The conference is organized by the National Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Planning aims to unlock the potential of sports in South Sudan.

Addressing the gathering, Ramadan Mohammed Goc, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stressed the need to specialize in specific games where the country has potential, like basketball and football.

He said as the minister, they would recommend to the president to appoint some of the most active sports personnel to be representatives of the country in different countries worldwide.

The President of the South Sudan Basketball Association, Luol Deng said sports build the nation and urged the citizens to take the lead to invest in sports as it can be a potential engine for the country’s economic growth, job creation and tourism.

He further said the South Sudan Olympics debut marked the greatest moment since independence creating a lasting memory of joy and dignity.

“It inspired millions to envision new possibilities for our country and youth.”

Meanwhile, Marial Dongrin Ater, the Minister of Finance and Planning proposed for the creation of a national Sports Development Fund by the government to allow proper channeling of funds raised to support sports in the country.

He said South Sudan is not only blessed with diverse and abundant natural resources but also rich in qualified and talented human resources to support the growth of the country.

The Sports Financing Conference brought together stakeholders from around the different countries and states.