South Sudan eyes Western oil investment

Decades of civil unrest, a plunge in oil prices and international sanctions have spooked investors. Now the country's oil minister wants to lure them back

It has been a traumatic birth for the world's youngest nation. Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has been battling civil war, economic disaster, famine and corruption. Seven years on from its split with Sudan, border disputes between the two countries remain a point of serious contention—and a major security risk to operators in the oil industry. In a central London hotel I meet South Sudan's oil minister, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth. He is in the capital to catch the onslaught of industry executives who have come to network during International Petroleum Week. He is on a charm offensive to attract upstream investors. "I would like to see BP, ExxonMobil and Chevron—the main players in