China grants South Sudan $31.5 mln for development projects ArticleComments (5). Email PrintSave --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 24, 2011 (JUBA) – The Chinese government today extended a grant of 200 million Yuan (about 31.5 million US dollars) to South Sudan for development projects in the newly independent state. The grant was announced on Monday in Juba after a meeting between the South Sudanese minister of Information and Broadcasting, Barnaba Marial Benjamin and the Chinese Ambassador to Juba, Li Zhiguo. Ambassador Zhiguo said the grant is dedicated to support agriculture, education, health and water supply projects. He further said that Beijing’s government will donate a number of radio stations to South Sudan to promote media development. He further said that Chinese officials are in consultations with their counterparts in South Sudan to determine more development projects to be implemented where there are real needs. He pledged that Chinese enterprises will start their work soon after the end of the current discussion. Minister Barnaba welcomed the Chinese gesture and praised Beijing’s tangible support for the South Sudan’s development endeavors. "We want you to look comprehensively in the areas of investment as well as education, especially university education, which is constantly facing infrastructural and personnel challenges," he said. Last August during a visit to Juba, the Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi said his country will continue to develop “friendly cooperation” with South Sudan, including providing aid. After a meeting with the South Sudan President Salva Kiir in August, Yang emphasized that the two countries should enhance cooperation in the fields of oil, mining, agriculture and infrastructure construction. He further said China will continue to help South Sudan promote development and improve people’s living conditions. China, which will receive Salva Kiir in December of this year for more talks on development projects and economic cooperation, is the first oil producer in South Sudan. Last September, Juba said it will respect previous oil contracts signed between the Sudanese and other investors, before the independence of the South Sudan on 9 July 2011. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob?hl=en.
