Violence mars investment scene in South Sudan

South Sudan's government has made commitments to ensure transparency and accountability, fight corruption, and help the productive sectors of the economy, Mr. Shah said.

“If they are able to live up to their commitments, we are optimistic that they can be successful over time,” he added.

Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department eased sanctions on Sudan that had restricted investments in South Sudan’s oil sector, which is inexorably linked to the north.

Jonathan Temin, director of the Sudan program at the U.S. Institute of Peace, said many in the international community are “withholding judgment and waiting to see how South Sudan responds to instability and what kind of development vision it presents.”

He added that the violence is mostly limited to certain parts of the country and that most of South Sudan is stable.

At the conference in Washington, Mr. Mayardit will outline his vision for development in his country and lay out plans for infrastructure, food security, governance and efforts to combat rampant corruption.

Officials from Britain, Norway, Turkey, the European Union, the United Nations, the African Union, the World Bank, the International Finance Corp., the Corporate Council on Africa, and InterAction also will participate.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on July 9 after two decades of civil war that left about 2 million people dead.

South Sudan’s Ambassador to the U.S., Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, said his country desperately needs help from the international community.

“Nothing has been built in South Sudan since creation. Now, we want to enter into a war for development and we want the world to help us,” he said.

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