Jamus FC. (Photo: SSFA).

The Spanish Ambassador in Juba has expressed his country’s readiness to boost cooperation in several sports in South Sudan including football, basketball and volleyball.

Ambassador Isidro Antonio Gonzalez Afonso made the statement during a meeting with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Joseph Geng Akech in Juba on Thursday.

“These are good ways to strengthen our cooperation with the National League and it is important to invest in the sport. We are ready to work together with you in different areas in sports like football basketball and volleyball,” he said.

The national cabinet recently passed a new Sports Development Policy, aiming to transform the sports sector and unleash its economic benefit for the country.

The key component of the policy is the government’s call for the private sector to play a major role in the development of sports.

On Monday, Minister Geng encouraged businesses to invest directly in various sports federations, highlighting the potential for a profitable return on investment.

The ministry is expected to hold its first-ever sports financing conference at the Bank of South Sudan headquarters – an event which will bring the private sector and business community to discuss how to invest in sports, in November.

He added that all federations in the country will showcase their potential to persuade investors and reach deals with them in the sports sector.

South Sudan’s sports facilities remain underdeveloped. Despite the country’s huge basketball potential, there is no in-door basketball court, while the only standard FIFA-built football stadium was recently inaugurated in Juba.