Bank Governor Dr. Alic Returns to Juba After Attending African Caucus Meeting in Abuja
By Daniel Mareng Wek:
JUBA, Aug. 5, 2024—Governor, Bank of South Sudan, Hon. Dr. James Alic Garang, returned to Juba on Monday following his participation in the African Caucus meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria.
The three-day event, which took place from August 1st to 3rd, 2024, brought together Central Bank Governors and Finance Ministers from across Africa.
The focus of the meeting was on enhancing intra-African trade and proposing reforms to global financial systems to overcome obstacles to the economic growth.
Dr. Alic, who is the Chair of the African Affairs Committee (MAC), participated as a panelist to discuss the critical role of digitalization in advancing financial inclusion in South Sudan.
The event was honored by the presence of Kashim Shettima, Vice President of Nigeria, representing Bola Tinubu, the Nigeria President, emphasized the importance of collaboration to achieve the goals of African societies, and acknowledged the continent’s economic challenges.
On the first day, delegates addressed key issues such as dependency on imports, underemployment, geopolitical tensions and pandemics, which have impeded Africa’s economic progress.
The meeting provided a platform for finance leaders to explore solutions to these pressing issues, strengthen cooperation and advance the continent’s goals by enhancing entrepreneurship, fostering positive dialogue, improving communication and advocating for fair global financial programs that support developing countries.
Dr. Garang was honored to deliver a speech recognizing the contributions of the Nigerian government, African Bank Governors, and Finance Ministers, ensuring that the event resulted in tangible resolutions. He also highlighted potential investment areas in South Sudan, including agriculture, gum Arabic, honey, oil and the world’s largest mammal migration, which could attract tourists.
The resolutions agreed upon by African finance leaders are set to be presented at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington this October. These resolutions aim to improve Africa’s economic stability and boost regional trade and economic cooperation.