February 11, 2011 "I have never seen wildlife like that, in such
numbers, not even when flying over the mass migrations of the
Serengeti," said survey leader and renowned conservationist J.
Michael Fay in 2007. However, with new nationhood comes tough
decisions and new pressures. Multi-national companies seeking to
exploit the nation's vast natural resources are expected to
arrive in South Sudan, tempting them with promises of
development and economic growth, promises that have proven
uneven at best across Africa. Dubbed the resource curse, many
poor nations have seen their rich, natural resources plundered
for the world market, but instead of reaping the financial
rewards, money is lost in poorly-made deals or commodity swings,
or ends up in the pockets of foreign corporations or corrupt
officials, leaving the nation's people not with education and
opportunity, but environmental degradation and social unrest.
Dependent on oil (98% of the government's revenue comes from
oil) and shockingly poor (90% of the pe