The European Union (EU) has urged South Sudan to invest in economic development as a key component of building peace.
The EU Deputy Head of Delegation, Lothar Jaschke, expressed the sentiments at the close of a seminar on Access to Finance, Food Security and Quality in Juba on Thursday.
“It is a great pleasure to be here today for the closing seminar of the ‘Jobs Creation and Trade Development’ project, founded by the European Union Trust Fund for Africa. It is also an occasion for relevant stakeholders in the area of access to finance and food safety and quality to meet and discuss lessons learned from the project and review the current situation in view of solutions to the challenges ahead,” he said.
Jaschke noted that the EU itself was founded on the thought of swords to ploughshares beginning with the first European Community in 1952 that mutualized the production of coal and steel.
He extended gratitude to the Government of South Sudan, the International Trade Center, local communities, and all stakeholders that contributed to the smooth implementation of the project in Western and Central Equatoria.
Jaschke stressed the importance of developing a strong and sustainable fruits and vegetables value chain, pointing out that over 80% of the South Sudan population relied on the agricultural sector for their livelihood.
“Beyond economic growth, investing in agriculture is about resilience; resilience to climate change, resilience to market shocks, and resilience in ensuring that communities have access to nutritious food,” he said.
The project that was being closed is about fostering economic growth, building resilient livelihoods and strengthening local economies. Its impact continues through the knowledge gained, the jobs created, and the trade networks established.
Jaschke reaffirmed EU’s commitment to supporting sustainable economic development in South Sudan in line with the broader Green and Resilient Economy program that aims to promote sustainable, climate-resilient economic development while contributing to food security, job creation, and community resilience.
“We are reinforcing our support for South Sudan’s agricultural sector through two newly launched initiatives. In particular, the International Trade Center will play a key role in ensuring strong market linkages within the Green and Resilient Economy project, co-funded by the EU and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Program and the International Trade Centre,” Jaschke explained.
He also said that South Sudan needs a strong private sector and private foreign investments to support skill training, to stimulate domestic demand and to create employment and jobs that pay salaries.