South Sudan, one of the world's least-developed countries, is being urged to explore ways to diversify its oil-dependent economy, particularly through development of its agricultural sector. It has a long way to go on the development index, The New York Times noted:
But from the moment it declares independence on Saturday, the Republic of South Sudan, the world’s newest country and Africa’s 54th state, will take its place at the bottom of the developing world. A majority of its people live on less than a dollar a day. A 15-year-old girl has a higher chance of dying in childbirth than she does of finishing primary school. More than 10 percent of children do not make it to their fifth birthday. About three-quarters of adults cannot read. Only 1 percent of households have a bank account.
According to The Wall Street Journal, South Sudan officials say their focus will be on agricultural development. The country has abundant arable land, although there is little large-scale commercial farming. But it lacks many of the other things that could attract investors including a transportation infrastructure (the whole country has only 30 miles of paved road), hotels, and health care.
