Israel and South Sudan

South Sudan, as a predominantly Christian country, established its independence in July 2011 and since then  Israel has made significant contributions to its development.  In fact, Israel was among the first nations to recognize the world’s newest nation, South Sudan in 2011.

The start-up of South Sudan has been compared to the early years of Israel; to the people who struggled to build their land, and yet did not give up. For example, with the support of KKL-JNF, pioneers planted trees in the desert, drained swamps for agriculture, and built towns and cities. The Israel dream can help developing nations, such as South Sudan, in their nation building, which faces many challenges; it is not industrialized.  The road system is underdeveloped and from the rural areas it is almost impossible to transport goods and agricultural products.

On the other hand, South Sudan has a great advantage in terms of its water management, something that Israel doesn’t have.  The country receives rainfall eight months a year, making it an ideal environment for agriculture. The climate is tropical, and in addition, the soil is highly fertile and idyllic for cultivation.

For a fuller report of what is going on, see http://blogs.jpost.com/content/international-development-zionism-and-south-sudan .