By XINHUA

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Chinese firm Shengli Oilfield Keer Engineering and Construction Company (Sokec) on Friday signed an agreement with South Sudan's state-owned Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet) to construct modern oil refinery and storage facilities in South Sudan.

President of Sokec Wu Song and Managing Director of Nilepet Muhammad Lino Benjamin signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will see the Chinese firm immediately begin investing in South Sudan.

Benjamin hailed Sokec for its contribution to the development of the youngest nation in Africa.

"With this MoU, we hope you will be able to translate it into agreements and projects that we will do together," he said at the signing ceremony in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

Read: South Sudan’s oil sector pulls in more deals

Wu said Sokec will embark on investment without hesitation, aiming to enhance production capabilities and operational efficiency.

"We will start our preparation work as soon as possible on the refinery and storage facilities," he said.

The high-level delegation from the Chinese firm began a two-day visit on Monday to the oil fields in Tharjiath, Unity State, to inspect the facilities and assess the current state of the refinery operations.

Kuol Deng Maleith, director general of Midstream in Nilepet, said that the visit by representatives of the Chinese firm represents a significant step toward modernizing and expanding South Sudan's oil industry.

He emphasised the critical role of international investors in the continued development of the country's oil sector and its broader economic growth.