WASHINGTON, August 8 (RIA Novosti) - While South Sudan owes its independence to international partners, it is wary of partners acting as a “hidden hand” interested only in its natural resources and driving a wedge between neighboring nations, former South Sudan Ambassador to the United States, Ezekiel Gatkuoth told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
“South Sudan was born because of the contributions of the entire world,” Ambassador Gatkuoth told a convention hosted by the International Association of African NGOs. He warned, however, “We allow ourselves to be used by others, to kill ourselves. And the hidden hand behind us is interested in our resources, not us.”
Responding to a question by RIA Novosti, the Ambassador noted that international partners “can intervene and help in realizing the peace and security."
"Russia, they helped, the UN, the P-5, the permanent five [helped],” Gatkuoth said.
South Sudan currently has the ability to produce approximately 500,000 barrels of oil per day. It is rich with mineral resources, a young population, but has been kept in poverty due to poor governance, according to the Ambassador. The ongoing civil and regional wars in the country have further impoverished the nation, driving oil production down to only 1,600 barrels per day, according to Gatkuoth, and leaving a population that is majority female, as a result of the killing of men during the wars.
“The hidden hand is interested in our oil, in Nigeria, in South Sudan, and Angola, all the places. They create a wedge between the two [sic],” Gatkuoth said, adding that international partners can help stabilize South Sudan by giving the country “breathing space.”
“Because if there is a hidden hand with different interests, you cannot have good governance. If there is a war, there is no way you can govern.”
Former Ambassador Gatkuoth is visiting Washington DC as part of the US-Africa Business Summit, convened by President Barack Obama. The summit has included negotiations to invest $14 billion in the continent to help develop infrastructure and improve national economies.
