By Bida Elly David
The national Ministry of petroleum has secured a plot of land within the circumference of Djibouti port to simplify importation of commercial commodities into the Country and exportation of crude oil into the international market.
This development was revealed during the fifth (5) conferences on South Sudan oil and gas conference that started yesterday in Juba. The conference was attended by a number of participants from the various government institutions members representing the private sector from both local and international companies.
Over the past years up to date, South Sudan has been accessing Sudan and Mombasa ports as entrance and exit points for all their exports and imports of crude oil and other commodities essential in the Country.
The continuous dependence on these ports has been contributing on delays of commercial commodities to reach the Country after necessary custom duties at the border.
Queuing of cargos as well as interval of time to await clearance became a blocking factor for the Country to speed up import of crucial goods from the foreign markets as well as meeting international market for the sale of its oil.
Speaking during the event, Puot Kang Chol, the national Minister of Petroleum said the Ministry of Petroleum has procured Twelve Thousand (12,000) square meters plot of land at Djibouti seaport aimed at facilitating movement of exported and imported goods through Djibouti and beyond.
He said the procured land would enable the Country to destine its stocked goods as they will be kept in the warehouse for sorting and packing before departure into the Country.
“South Sudan is a landlocked Country, we have been pushing to make sure we open all our ways. There is need for us to access international markets for our goods. We have been only using Port Sudan and Mombasa but recently, we have decided to go to Djibouti and we were given a land in Djibouti for accommodating our goods before reaching the Country,” he disclosed.
“If any of you have goods and you want to bring through Djibouti, we have a land and space for accommodating your materials,” he added.
Puot stated that the procured space shall undergo construction of comprehensive warehouse that will be used for the safety of any import before departure.
He said the government of Djibouti has compromised the Ministry of Petroleum by releasing the land for storing the goods until they are ready to be ferried to their final destinations for resale purposes.