Poverty Reduction Vital for Peace, Says Kuol Manyang

By Simon Deng

The Senior Presidential Advisor and Chairperson of the National Transitional Committee, Kuol Manyang Juuk stated on Thursday that the widespread conflict in South Sudan can be resolved by addressing the root cause of poverty.

He emphasised that improving livelihoods and creating economic opportunities are essential steps toward achieving lasting peace and stability in the country.

“Now that we have achieved practical independence, we must confront the question of pervasive internal conflict; the crisis, often labelled as tribal in nature, is deeply rooted in poverty and manifests as struggles over limited resources,” said Juuk at the Chinese embassy during the opening of the symposium on key outcomes of the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC and the joint advancement of modernisation by China and South Sudan.

“To truly resolve these conflicts, we must address the fundamental issue of poverty. This requires comprehensive and radical solutions. Only by tackling poverty at its source can we pave the way for sustainable peace in our nation,” he added.

Juuk disclosed that the proliferation of small arms, the breakdown of peaceful coexistence, and the devastating consequences of war have left scars on society, adding that over 2 million lives were lost in the struggle for independence.

“Experience has shown that repeated peace talks and reconciliation efforts, while well-intentioned, have not yielded lasting solutions. Without tangible improvements in people’s livelihoods, such dialogues tend to falter,” he said.

Ma Qiang, the Chinese ambassador to South Sudan, remarked that the symposium on advancing modernisation by China and South Sudan is highly relevant and significant in strengthening leadership.

“China will broaden the space for two-way investment cooperation and create a transparent, stable, and predictable institutional environment,” said Ma, adding that China is working to expand cooperation in green, digital, and other fields.

“We will advance both major landmark projects and small, beneficial livelihood programmes in a coordinated manner, deepening practical cooperation in trade, investment, industry, and people-to-people exchanges,” he stated.

Wang Yiwei, Vice President of the Academy of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and professor of international studies at Renmin University of China, said that China achieves modernisation through peace.

“We achieve modernisation through peace. It is Chinese modernisation with Chinese characteristics; it is not about ideology. We translate development as the Chinese path to modernisation and work towards common prosperity,” said Yiwei.

Deng Dau Deng Malek, a Member of Parliament in the transitional national legislative assembly and a former acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, described the partnership with China as a true friendship.

“I would like to highlight relevant issues from which we can benefit from China. The Chinese character is collectivism, which prioritises harmony and social cohesion that mirror the core values of the SPLM,” said Deng.

“Without harmony and social cohesion as a country, we cannot progress. Without respect for authority and prioritising education as a value, progress will undoubtedly be quite challenging,” he added.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation, stated that investing in education and vocational training is key to achieving development across the country.

“We need to move from words to action. We need to take our message to the villages; it is our primary responsibility as South Sudanese to shift gears from violence to peace and stability,” Yakani said.

“There is a need to help South Sudan build a blueprint for poverty reduction. One of the best ways we can learn from China’s modernisation is the concept of investing in vocational skills, which is a quick-win intervention for empowering human resources and creating a society that earns incomes,” he concluded.