Juba, South Sudan – September 24, 2025 – In a decisive move to reshape the nation’s economic future, Vice President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel has convened a high-level conference with international and national oil partners, demanding that the petroleum sector deliver tangible benefits to the people of South Sudan.
The two-day High-Level JOCs Partners Conference, hosted by the Ministry of Petroleum and the national oil company NILEPET, brought together senior figures including the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Petroleum, Eng. Deng Lual Wol, and the Managing Director of NILEPET, Eng. Ayuel Ngor Kacgor. They were joined by top representatives from key international partners: the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), SINOPEC, and the Sudd Petroleum Operating Company (SPOC).
The central agenda focused on strategic measures to boost investment, expand oil production, and upgrade critical pipeline infrastructure to improve efficiency across the sector.
Vice President Bol Mel, however, placed a firm emphasis on the human impact of these technical discussions. He underscored the urgent need for investors to not only increase production for their own returns but to ensure that this growth directly uplifts South Sudanese citizens.
“All oil operations must deliver maximum benefits to the people of South Sudan,” the Vice President stated. He called on the industry to prioritize creating employment opportunities for citizens and to commit to building the next generation of skilled professionals through comprehensive training and knowledge transfer programs.
The second day of the conference featured an extended strategic meeting with representatives from CNPC, where Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel reinforced this message. He framed the push for production expansion as a “national mission” to transform the country’s natural wealth into jobs, infrastructure, and opportunities for every family.
The meetings signal a clear direction from the Government of H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit. By aligning with partners to unlock new opportunities, the administration is working to ensure that South Sudan’s oil wealth becomes a sustained source of jobs, progress, and national pride for all its citizens.
