Hollywood star George Clooney has supported a Swiss company which is aiming to make South Sudan a coffee exporting country.

The celebrity told a press conference in Paris that South Sudan has great potential to grow coffee although he added that “a great deal of work” needed to be done to meet that aim.

Mr. Clooney said that currently oil is the only product coming out of South Sudan, and that oil money goes to large companies and not to the people of South Sudan.

The Swiss company spokesperson said that coffee plantations will be developed near Yei, and that the first coffee will be available for export in 2015.

George Clooney has been to South Sudan several times and last year, he was arrested in Washington after he protested about South Sudan’s humanitarian situation in light of clashes with Sudan.