Constraints and Future Vision for Sustainable Development in South Sudan (2005-2015)

Abstract

This study is concerning with the developmental situation in South Sudan during 2005-2015. The fundamental problem that the study tried to solve is that why sustainable economic development did not occur in 2005-2015? Despite the huge developmental assistances from bilateral and multilateral relations and agreements that donated to the region by the international community since the signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005; in addition to other resources in terms of oil revenues that could play a significant role in the development process in South Sudan. This study was conducted to investigate the constraints and the future vision of economic development in South Sudan in 2005-2015. The main objectives of this study are to find out the constraints to the development, investigate the developmental efforts and attempts, to assess the role of non-governmental organizations in development process in South Sudan in 2005-2015, and to highlight the economic planning, policies, and strategies that has been employed. The study has relied on combined methodology that comprises from quantitative and qualitative methods in data analysis. The logic behind this combined methodology is to minimize various defects of each method in data analysis. Different techniques have been used in data collection, among them close-ended questionnaire form, focus group discussion, and semi-structured interview technique. In data analysis, descriptive statistics particularly the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) have been used to obtain logical and precise conclusions. The most important results that have been reached by this study are that underdevelopment of South Sudan is attributed to political, administrative, and legal constraints such as lack of political commitment, political instability, and over-concentration on implementation of comprehensive peace agreement items and nation and peace building programmes, as well as lack of good government. Economic, financial, and technical constraints such as lack of scientific, technical and innovative researching; poor infrastructure; underdeveloped financial sector, absence of planning authority; too much dependency on oil revenues; inadequate investment in basic infrastructure; and lack of access to land for investment have plaid significant role in the economic backwardness of the country too. Some socio-cultural constraints like cattle rustling, rapid growth of population, and withdrawal of girls from schools for the purpose of marriage have also contributed to underdevelopment of the country. And the main recommendations of the study are that financial and economic resources shall be diversified; scientific researching shall be given much consideration; infrastructure with high quality shall be developed by the Government to promote sustainable development in South Sudan.