Ando Naoki, senior vice president of Japan International Corporation Agency speaks during the commissioning of Juba Water Plant. (Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio).

An official from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said on Thursday it will support the South Sudan men’s Basketball team if they are drawn in the Japan group.

The draw of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 will be held in the Philippines capital Manila, on April 29.

32 teams will play out the world cup in different groups in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines from August 25 to September 10, 2023.

It is the first time a FIBA World Cup is played across three co-host nations.

South Sudan men’s Basketball qualified for first-time to this year’s world cup in February, becoming the first African nation to qualify at the first attempt.

The team qualified after defeating Senegal, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Egypt, respectively, in the African qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Speaking during the inauguration of a new water plant in Juba, Ando Naoki, the senior vice president of JICA announced that they could support the South Sudan men’s Basketball team.

However, Naoki said they will be able to render the support if FIBA draw South Sudan in Japan.

“I would like to congratulate the South Sudan men’s Basketball team qualification to the FIBA World Cup for the first-time congratulations. The host countries for that world cup are Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan. If you come to Japan, JICA will be a great supporter of Bright Stars,” he said while concluding his speech.

Naoki did not mention what support JICA will provide to the Bright Stars.

When contacted for clarification, JICA Program Officer Emmanuel Jok Dut said the support will be both moral and in-kind including media-related campaigns.