South Sudan Roundup: Basketball team, oil exports, climate resilience

Basketball team narrowly miss historic win against US

South Sudan's national basketball team, the Bright Stars, narrowly missed a historic win against Team USA, losing 101-100 in a friendly match in London. The team, led by former NBA star Luol Deng, is making their Olympic debut and has sparked a growing basketball culture in South Sudan, bringing hope to a country plagued by conflict. Despite the loss, the Bright Stars are inspiring new generations and the construction of basketball courts across the country.

Central Bank wins continental award

South Sudan's Central Bank won a continental award for its efforts in advocating for financial inclusion and promoting digital banking infrastructure. The award was presented in London, and officials and government institutions see it as inspiring efforts to shape the country's economy and governance. The Central Bank governor was commended for his dedication to economic development, and the award is seen as an opportunity to attract investors and diversify the economy. The African Leadership Magazine Summit is an annual programme that brings together leaders to discuss Africa's social, economic, and environmental sustainability, the Sudan Tribune reports.

President hails basketball team performance against US

South Sudan President Salva Kiir praised the national basketball team for their performance against the US. The team narrowly lost but made history by qualifying for the Summer Olympics. The players expressed pride in representing their country on the global stage. The US coach admitted underestimating the South Sudanese team and praised their performance. The South Sudan team's head coach commended the players for their resilience.

Shutdown of oil exports

South Sudan is considering shutting down its oil exports due to financial strain caused by a lack of consensus with Sudan. The country's civil servants have gone without salaries for 9 months, and less than 140,000 barrels of oil are being exported. The situation has been worsened by a rupture in an oil pipeline, causing a halt in shipments. According to the Sudan Tribune, this has led to ongoing negotiations and tensions between South Sudan and Sudan, exacerbating economic stress and potential political turmoil in South Sudan.

Scale up actions to build farmers’ climate resilience

The Government of South Sudan, the World Bank, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) are working together on a $30 million project to help smallholder farmers in South Sudan build climate resilience in the face of floods and extreme weather. The project aims to support good agricultural practices, agroforestry, and natural resource management. It will benefit over 140,000 households and will be implemented over three years. According to ReliefWeb, this initiative is crucial to boost smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate shocks and minimise damage to their crops and livelihoods.