First Vice President Taban Deng Gai speaking at the Atlantic Council conference in the United State - File Photo

The First Vice President urged the international partners to support South Sudan in addressing the challenges of climate change in the country.

Taban Deng Gai said responding to issues of climate change needs more actions by the government together with its development partners.

South Sudan faces several developmental challenges due to decades of political instability, poverty, and persistent food insecurity, all of which are believed to be aggravated by climate change.

South Sudan is a signatory to a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which entered into force on 4 November 2016.

It’s also known as, Paris Agreement on climate change.

Its central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Scientists across the world consider Climate Change and Global Warming issues as the greatest threat to this planet.

According to a report released by the USAID in 2016, South Sudan is having one of the richest agricultural areas in Africa with fertile soils but frequent flooding.

However, droughts, ongoing conflict and the displacement of millions of people have drastically reduced food production, as a result of climate change.

On Wednesday, the First Vice President urged development partners to support the government in combating climate change in the country.

Taban Deng spoke on Wednesday during the opening of a two-day workshop on climate change, food insecurity and resilient livelihoods in South Sudan.

“We remain committed to implementing the Paris Agreement and need full cooperation and support of our development partners. I strongly believe that the Republic of South Sudan has ceased climate change as an opportunity to move toward a green gross pass way that is poured by clean energy, which was culminating in the sustainable management of our national resources,” Taban said.

The two-day workshop which is expected to end today [Thursday] is being organized by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.