Building a Sustainable Economy for South Sudan

“Where there is a will there is a way” this has been our High School motto which always gives me confidence whenever I think of my future long term professional career goal of becoming an economist. Once again the future belongs to those who plan and work hard to succeed.

My immediate plan is, after completing my Chevening Award, I will immediately return to my Country and continue working in the Humanitarian sector with GLOBAL AIM SOUTH SUDAN as the Executive Director providing leadership to the management and program implementation while expanding Melinga-Fashion and Cosmetics business which I am currently the Business Development Manager, and continuing with my part time job as the County Legislative Councilor when re-elected.

I will then be able to fulfill my career short term plan of opening an independent Economic Research and Consultancy Firm after five years of savings from my current Job and business, be able to recruit top economic researchers to be able to provide consultancy services in the Country. This will not only create employment, but also provides a researched and analyzed economic data for both the public and private sector for easy decisions making and policy formulation. Considering the fact that South Sudan’s Economy is one sector which is crippled and needs such initiatives in order to join rest of the world’s economic prosperity.

This will be able to prepare me for my dream and long term career goal of becoming a Director General of Policy and Planning in the Ministry of Finance and Planning after 10 years of recognized practical and research work, I will have hopefully completed the basic theories and models of sustainable economy of South Sudan which I will use for improving the Economic policies of our Country.

I am aware that United Kingdom is the second largest bilateral provider of live saving humanitarian assistance and the lead provider of Health and Education through Health Pooled Fund and Girls Education South Sudan. And according to 2018/19 sector breakdown, 5% goes to economic development 50% to humanitarian and 42% Human development, with this facts, I found that UK is doing a lot to support South Sudan where in past 3 years alone, over £250 million has been spent. Therefore, when given the chance, I will go to UK, earn my master’s degree in Development economics, returns to South Sudan and supplement what the UK has been doing by contributing towards the building of a sustainable economic sector by formulating proper economic policies such as those of Taxation, Revenue collection, public expenditure, etc.

Finally, a rapid change in South Sudan’s economy towards a more sustainable, economically stable and evidence based economic policies is a demanding long term goal that I will be focusing on with the assistance of other professionals, and well prepared strategies acquired through the chevening award and networking with various scholars who will benefit this movement and helps South Sudan join the currency of Sustainable Development like the rest of the world.