By Richard Ruati
Southern Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit and U.S. Consul General to Juba, Ambassador R. Barrie Walkley inaugurated an ambitious road project that will give the new country its first highway. The project will see the tarmacking of the 192km of the Juba-Nimule Road in Eastern Equatoria.
Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USaid) in collaboration with the Government of Southern Sudan’s ministry of transport and roads, the project’s is meant to boost economic development in the region.
The inauguration of the Juba-Nimule Road project comes hot on the heels of another USaid project – the Kapoeta Power Project – that was commissioned on February 4 as part of the U.S.-Southern Sudan relationship.
“This project underscores the shared sympathy and long-term partnership between the U.S. Government and the people and Government of Southern Sudan,” said Walkley.
He added: “The Juba-Nimule road is Southern Sudan’s highest priority road. It links Juba with Uganda, and is the most efficient route to the Port of Mombasa in Kenya. As we embark on the final phase of this project, it is important to recognize the hard work accomplished to get us to this stage today.”
On completion, the Juba-Nimule road will be the first major paved road to be constructed in southern Sudan since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. The first phase of this project involved a feasibility study, engineering studies, repairs to existing bridges, and demining.
Economists in the region say that the Juba to Nimule Road is a vital link from Uganda to Juba and will aid the development of Southern Sudan. The construction of the road is being conducted in two phases; with the initial phase being the construction of seven new bridges at multiple locations along the route and which is now completed.
The next phase is the construction of the all weather sealed road being constructed in three sections. The Juba Nimule Road has been widened and expanded. It is now a two-way road with one lane in each direction, including drainage on both sides.
Ambassador Walkley stressed that completion of this economically vital road will catalyze business transactions between Southern Sudan and neighboring countries.” He said he hopes that “when completed, an estimated travel time between Juba and Nimule will be reduced from 8 hours at the beginning of the project, to about 2 hours. It should be noted that already more than 20 buses use this road every day to travel between Kampala and Juba.
He pointed out that “our support for roads development does not end with this road. USAID is also funding 260-kilometers of all-weather gravel roads in Western Equatoria state, and we plan to support the development of high priority agricultural feeder roads in the future. We will also continue to support the development of local Sudanese contractors, some of whom have played an important part in the construction of the Juba-Nimule Road. We hope the government will use these contractors to maintain these and other roads.”
President Salva Kiir was chief guest accompanied by the ministers of transport and roads, Anthony Lino Makana, minister of investment, Oyai Deng, minister of finance, David Deng Athorbei and minister of presidential affairs, Cireno Hiteng.
Others at the function included Eastern Equatoria governor Louis Lobong Lajore and Central Equatoria state governor Clement Wani Konga, among others.
President Kiir noted that the “Juba-Nimule road network will accelerate the development path.” He thanked the U.S. government for what he termed a “very precious and big achievement right after the peaceful conduct of the southern referendum.”
President Kiir recalled that during the civil war he had ordered SPLA commander Oyai Deng to destroy the Aswa bridge to prevent Northern soldiers from recapturing Nimule town, which he described as strategic to the South.
Anthony Lino Makana, minister of transport and roads said he was thrilled to witness the first tarmac of highway in Southern Sudan so soon after the South Sudan referendum.
He revealed that “under the wise leadership of the SPLM (the south’s ruling party) and spearheaded by President Kiir, Southern Sudan has rehabilitated 7,000-km of trunk roads and upgraded about 100 bridges in six years.”
However, as the Juba-Nimule is being paved, there is an increase in fatal road accidents as a result of the high speed and increase in daily commercial traffic between Uganda and Southern Sudan.
Makana warned of the risks involved with road accidents and he appealed to U.S. government and other donors “to strengthen the capacity of traffic police so that they can stand up to the challenge of improving much needed road safety measures. “
In his concluding speech Ambassador Walkely said USAID is already supporting the ministry of transport and roads and the ministry of interior to initiate programs to improve road safety, including road signs, road markings, billboards, and community outreach. Officials from Kenya’s ministry of roads and Uganda’s national road authority also attended the ceremony.
