Carlson Rezidor has broken ground on a Radisson Blu property in the Hai Malakal district of South Sudan’s capital city of Juba.

Overlooking the White Nile River, the new property is owned by Blue Diamond Hotel Limited.

Set to open in Q2 2017, the hotel will have 158 guestrooms, four restaurants, 750sq m (8,073sq ft) of meeting space, an outdoor swimming pool and terrace, a sky bar and a 300sq m (3,229sq ft) spa and gym area.

South Sudan is the youngest country in Africa – having gained independence from Sudan in July 2011. Carlson Rezidor’s executive VP and chief development officer Elie Younes is positive about the African hotel and resort market.

Younes said: “Africa offers excellent opportunities due to its natural resources and workforces, improved infrastructure and a growing middle class. We want to grow further on the continent, together with our existing and new partners through transparent and responsible long-term business relationships. We also want to be a leading employer in Africa.”

Having opened its first hotel in Africa in 2000, Carlson Rezidor expects to shortly launch several other hotels on the continent, including Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson hotels in Nairobi, Kenya; Kigali, Rwanda; and Cape Town, South Africa.