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October 20, 2012 (JUBA) - South Sudan Vice President, Riek Machar, on Saturday urged South Sudanese in the Diaspora to organise themselves into communities and encourage teamwork, if they are to realise meaningful progress.
- South Sudan VP, Riek Machar, Portland, US, October 20, 2012 (Photo Miyong Kuon- Machar’s team)
Machar made the remarks while addressing a group of South Sudanese at Portland High School auditorium in Portland city, becoming the first high-ranking government official to visit the area since independence.
The Vice-President, prior to addressing the group, first held talks with Portland Mayor, Michael Brandon, and other city officials at the city’s main hall.
Brandon welcomed Machar by handing him the key to the city.
The Vice-President, who has reportedly already toured six US states, is currently on a mission to update South Sudanese in the Diaspora on the level of progress the new nation has made, more than a year since it attained self-rule.
Machar, during the meeting, encouraged South Sudanese in Portland and the neighboring New England states to consider education a priority, in order to fulfill their American dreams.
“South Sudan is an independent nation that welcomes people with skills,” he said.
The Government of South Sudan, Machar reiterated, would easily tap into the much-needed skills from its population in the Diaspora, if it had better statistics on all the South Sudanese with college degrees and other qualifications from the various institutions in America.
“However, the only effective way for the Republic of South Sudan embassy in Washington DC to effectively collect full data of South Sudanese Diaspora in America is to have strong community leaders linked to the Embassy in Washington DC,” Machar said.
(ST)
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