Ambassador Christian Bader [left], the EU Ambassador to South Sudan and Wim Vandenbrouc[right], the head of the EU Cooperation Section in South Sudan during the launch of the Multiannual Indicative Programme in Juba - credit | EU Embassy in South Sudan | February 17, 2022

The EU has launched a €208M new project for South Sudan aims at shifting from humanitarian assistance to development.

The Multiannual Indicative Programme, or MIP is a seven-year project that will prioritize a green and resilient economy, human development such as education and health, and good governance, peace and rule of law for a fairer society.

Under these priorities, the EU says areas of need will include improving food and nutrition security, increasing productivity, sustainable agriculture, increasing women’s economic empowerment, basic health care focusing on high mortality rate and epidemics.

Others support early childhood numeracy and training of qualified teachers, matching skills of those in secondary and higher education with business needs mainly through vocational training.

According to the EU, the programme will also focus on peace and reconciliation, transitional justice, constitution making, democratic process, public financial management, transparency and accountability.

It is the strategic EU project since independence of South Sudan.

The development support is expected to leverage political and policy advocacy for transformational impact.

For the period 2021-2024, a total of 208 million euros have been allocated by the EU, while allocations for 2025-2027 will be subject to a decision by the EU after the mid-term review in 2024.

According to the EU, the overall objective of the project is to progress towards a more stable, resilient and peaceful South Sudan.

Based on eight principles, partnership – in coordination with the government – will focus on conflict sensitivity, marginalized and conflict affected areas, gender equality, youth engagement.

Others are conservation of biodiversity and climate change adaptation, displacement and integration of returning IDPs and refugees among others.

Christian Bader, the EU Ambassador to South Sudan says the over 200m euros project is a seven-year program.

“We have a seven year budget cycle, the cycle we are in started in 2021, so it will end in 2027. We had before a lot of instruments, that means when you have money, it can come from this, or this fund, now we have only one instrument,” Ambassador Bader said.

“We have a program for each country for seven year, and this is called the Multiannual Indicative Programme, the MIP.

“The figure is 208 million, this is the first batch, 2021-2024, so the whole programme is 2021-2027, but for 2021-2024 we already crude-mobilize 208 million euros.

“In this environment, the EU and its member states, we think that the stability of this country is extremely important, that it can contribute to our new vision which is to work together under a different basis.”