By William Madouk
South Sudan ministerial economic cluster on Wednesday approved an amount of US$5.5 million for reconstruction of Wildlife, Conservation, and Tourism, ministry’s building.
Minister of Wildlife, Mr. Rizik Hassan Zakaria, on Wednesday presented a budgetary report on the completion of the ministry’s building, adding that there are only some final touches and furnishing left.
Mr. Puot Kang Chol, a spokesperson of the Ministerial Economic Cluster said the amount is an estimated cost for completion and furnishing of the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Headquarters.
“The ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism has managed to complete the headquarters’ building; what remains now is to make sure that the place is made conducive for work.” He announced.
Mr. Kang said Minister Rizik Zakaria presented a memo and laid out his ambitious plan to ensure that South Sudan becomes the face of tourism, which the cluster approved.
According to Rizik, for this dream to come true, the government should support his quest to make tourism the country’s source of foreign currency and a major driver of economic growth.
“That is what the minister has come to present to us so that we can support him in his quest to make tourism the face of the republic of South Sudan,” Kang noted.
“I think it is something that we all agree to, and in today’s recommendation, the cluster passed this unanimously, and we request the council of ministries to do the same,” he added.
In March 2023, the cluster also approved SSP of $1 billion and US dollars of $94,000 for the ministry of wildlife, conservation, and tourism.
In 2021, the Economic Cluster drafted a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Wildlife and the African Parks Network to develop Boma, Badingilo, and the Jonglei Plain as tourist attraction sites.
The MoU entails an investment of $25 million by the African Parks Network to champion the project, according to the memo presented by Minister Rizik.