By James Chatim

The national Minister of Trade and Industry, Atong Kuol Manyang Juuk, said the persistent violence across South Sudan has deterred the country’s potential to exploit resources in the agricultural, industrial, and mining sectors.

She was speaking during the official opening of the first-ever National Trade Forum in Juba yesterday.

Ms. Atong said South Sudan has not had the opportunity to rest, which created trade imbalance, devaluation of the currency, fluctuating market prices as well as collapsing businesses.

“Due to persistent violence across South Sudan since 2013, the country has not had the opportunity to rest so that it can exploit other sectors such as the agricultural, industrial, manufacturing, and mining sectors.

“I believe within the challenges lie opportunities for strategic solutions that will drive our economy forward,” said Minister Atong.

She called on the citizens to take charge of the economy because nobody would come to transform it. The minister further said that the private sector cannot work alone in isolation, but together with the public sector.

“We can forge a better way forward, for more sustained economic growth for all. We understand that stabilisation of our economy requires our collective efforts,” Atong stated.

The South Sudan conflict that broke out in December 2013 has undermined economic development in the country. Moreover, poverty is widespread throughout the country as a result of inter-communal conflict, displacement, and the negative effects of the war in Sudan on the country’s oil industry.

More than 2.3 million people have been displaced by violence in South Sudan to neighbouring countries since mid-December 2013, and an estimated 645,000 people have been displaced across the country.