By William Madouk

As the four-day Russian International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg comes to a close, South Sudan has expressed its wish to navigate its digital economy to leverage its revenue.

Eng. Thomas Gatkuoth Nyak, Telecommunication Undersecretary in the Ministry of Information and ICT, stated on Saturday at the closing of the Forum that artificial intelligence will improve productivity.

“Artificial intelligence is expected to boost the level of production and will also influence labor force and it is also, it encourages education of the young people so it supports humans,” said Nyak.

He also stated that the country should not be concerned about the issues that may arise from artificial intelligence, as it has a lot to contribute, particularly in the digital economy.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the National Communication Authority, Gieth Kon, warned the government about the recently assigned South Sudan orbit, stating that it requires protection in order to secure the vast resources it delivers to the country.

“We also must position ourselves to protect, that’s a lot has been given us as a space. We need to protect it because the space becomes a resource,” Kon said.

NCA boss emphasized that this would aid the country with future plans, such as installing a satellite.

“And for us to, as a country, as a regulator, it is our position to protect that space so that in future, we will also position ourselves as a country on the technological advantage and even establish a satelite for the benefit of our country,” he explained.

Hon. Elijah Alier Kwai, the Managing Director of Media Authority, stated that AI has become a critical component in the digital economy, and there is no way to thrive without it.

He encouraged the National Parliament to start enacting regulations that will facilitate the right use of artificial intelligence.

“Artificial intelligence has become a key in this forum, simply because it has so many benefits, and there is no way you can be able to progress without embracing the artificial intelligence as well as the ICT in general,” Alier stated.

“So as a media sector and government of South Sudan, we need to double our effort to form some legislation to support this converging idea,” he added.

Mabe Emmanuel, Secretary-General of the Universal Service and Access Fund (USAF), emphasized the necessity of data centers, saying they are required in the digital economy and transformation process.

“We have a lot of data in the country for the government institutions, and we also need to make use of this data. How do we keep this data, and how do we use it? This is a very important takeaway for us as South Sudan delegation,” Emmauel affirmed.

“And this also calls for our ministry to focus on the issue of infrastructure development that enhances the ICT, because we cannot talk about data when we don’t have a data center,” he appealed.

The International Economic Forum serves as a catalyst for real investment in South Sudan’s digital economy.

Although the government is trying to put up digital infrastructure, internet and electricity remain as a challenge.

Four days ago, a high-level delegation from South Sudan jetted to Russia to partake in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), held from June 18 to 21, 2025.

The delegation intends to use the worldwide platform to foster collaborations, attract investment, and gain knowledge of international best practices in digital transformation.

The group was led by Thomas Gatkuoth, Undersecretary of Telecom at the Ministry of ICT and Postal Services.