Must “resource cursed” countries always suffer the double jinx of conflict traps?
[…] The case of South Sudan is also front of mind owing to a new report authored by international criminal law experts Steven Kay QC of 9 Bedford Row, and Rupert Boswall, of RPC Solicitors. In the independent report, published this month, the two authors recount how the Nordic energy company Lundin has been subject to a 10-year investigation by the Swedish authorities, related to its operations in southern Sudan in 1997-2003.
The authors explain how, despite the promising development potential of Sudan’s oil resources and EU encouragement, which attracted many international companies to the country, false allegations that oil companies were complicit in alleged war crimes made by the rebel militia ultimately seeking secession for South Sudan from the country’s Khartoum government were given credibility when adopted by certain NGOs. Despite being exonerated by a full EU investigation of the allegations in 2001, Lundin decided to leave Sudan as did others.