The World Bank says it plans to finance the construction of a fiber-optic line in South Sudan to improve internet connectivity and reduce service costs.

World Bank Country Manager Charles Undeland disclosed this after a meeting with the Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Bak Barnaba Chol, in Juba on Tuesday.

The two officials discussed the Bank’s ongoing portfolio of projects in the country.

Undeland said the World Bank remains committed to supporting service delivery across key sectors, including health, education and water, as well as infrastructure development and governance reforms.

“We spoke about the World Bank finance portfolio that is financing the delivery of services in many sectors, particularly in health, in education, in water,” Undeland said.

“We are planning to be financing the building of a fiber optic line to improve Internet connectivity and lower the prices in energy, as well as in providing social safety net support for the vulnerable of South Sudan, as well as many improvements that we seek to have in the overall functioning of government.”

He added that the reforms aim to strengthen public resource management to ensure efficient service delivery.

Separately, Dr. Bak also met with the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Anita Kiki Gbeho, to discuss strengthening humanitarian cooperation.

The meeting focused on priority areas including food security, durable solutions for displaced populations, rapid emergency response, life-saving humanitarian assistance and support to the health sector. Both sides underscored the importance of coordinated efforts to address urgent humanitarian needs while building long-term resilience.

The discussions also reviewed progress and expectations surrounding the South Sudan Development Plan 2026–2036.