SWOT Analysis: Nuba Mountains/South Kordofan Region of Sudan

Towards an Economic Development Strategy for the Nuba Mountains

Nuba Mountains/South Kordofan Region of Sudan: SWOT analysis
SWOT Analysis, is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It is used in this context to allow crude evaluation to prospects of development in the Nuba Mountain Region.


Strengths:

- Unexplored abundant natural resources, including precious minerals.

- Decent seasonal annual rainfall ranges from 400 to 800 mm

- Fertile untouched land in many parts of the region.

- The geographical centre of Sudan with potentially easy access to
the North, the South and Darfur.

- Hard working population and have historically been able to maintain
self-sufficiency over the years.

- Culturally tolerant and diverse population, with track record on
peaceful coexistence of local ethnicities along with African
religions, Islam and Christianity.

- A great deal of autonomy in political management under current
peace arrangements.

- Relatively healthy population. No major economically debilitating
diseases such as AIDS and Ebola are known to be endemic to the region.

Weaknesses:

- Extremely poor or total absence of infrastructural facilities.

- Underdeveloped human capital with high illiteracy rates.

- Lacking experience in political administration and planning.

- Absence of entrepreneurial capacities and effective middle-class structures

- Weak political and civic structures.

- Underdeveloped or non-existent public services

- Absence of a development plan or workable political vision

- Legal framework developed under CPA does not fully reflect cultural,
social and historical realities of the region.

- Malaria is endemic to the region, as it is the case all over Sudan.

Opportunities:

- Attracting national and foreign investment.

- Developing of oil reserves and mineral mining industry.

- Big investment in agriculture and agro-based local industries.

- Tourism based on the uniqueness and traditional tolerance in the region

- Attracting back wild life which used to roam the region

- Bridging between the South, North and the West.

Threats:

- Possibility of resorting back to violence if frustration is
not properly addressed.

- Possibility of violent frictions between the two main social groups
of Baggara and Nuba.

- Central government tendency for more centralisation rather than
devolution of real governing powers

- Huge uncertainty in regards to the result of projected
self-determination vote in the south.

- Vulnerability to increased instability in Darfur.

- Environmental degradation.

- Increasing pressure from the surrounding environmentally stricken communities

- Possibilities of corruption in the face of almost ubiquitous poverty.