By Philip Buda Ladu
Vice President and chair of the Economic Cluster, Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel met with Minister of Mining, Martin Abucha Gama, on Tuesday, April 15th, to forge a strategy for bolstering South Sudan’s mining industry.
The discussions centered on leveraging the country’s mineral wealth to generate jobs, stimulate economic growth, and drive overall national development.
Vice President Bol reiterated the government’s strong commitment to President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s economic vision, which prioritizes the exploitation of South Sudan’s extensive natural resources to improve the livelihoods of all citizens.
Minister Abucha welcomed this commitment and presented ambitious plans for the sector, including: Expanding mining opportunities for South Sudanese citizens, Strengthening transparency and sustainability within the mining sector.
Others include providing enhanced technical support for artisanal and small-scale miners and scaling up geological training initiatives to improve safety and productivity nationwide.
A significant outcome of the meeting was the agreement to increase budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Mining. This increased funding is intended to facilitate the modernization of the sector and enhance national production capacity.
Vice President Bol Mel expressed his strong conviction in the transformative potential of the mining sector.
He emphasized that it could serve not only as a vital revenue stream but also as a cornerstone for long-term economic recovery, inclusive investment, and the creation of dignified employment opportunities across South Sudan.
“The Government will continue to work to ensure that every resource beneath our soil becomes a blessing above it,” the Vice President stated, underscoring the government’s commitment to responsible and beneficial resource management.
This meeting signals a renewed focus on developing South Sudan’s mining industry as a key engine for economic progress and a pathway towards a more prosperous future for its people.
While remaining mostly underexplored, South Sudan is thought to possibly host significant deposits of mineral resources.
In October, 2023, the economic cluster, chaired by former vice president and chair of the cluster, James Wani Igga, approved 65 million US Dollars following a presentation from the ministry of mining to conduct a geological survey and minerals mapping in parts of the country.
Meanwhile, in June, 2023, the ministry of petroleum purchased a geophysics airplane to conduct aerial surveys of the country’s mineral resources.
In February 2024, South Sudan’s Ministry of Mining and South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) for collaboration in the mining sector, providing for increased cooperation in exploration, knowledge transfer and capacity building.
As part of the signing ceremony, South Sudan’s Minister of Mining Martin Abucha called on international investors to participate in the country’s mining industry, inviting private sector players to engage with the Ministry in exploring newfound opportunities.
South Africa’s state-owned African Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation announced last June that it is actively seeking partnerships with South Sudanese mining companies.