The government of Jonglei state and partners have launched a $11 million project to mitigate the impact of flooding and other climate change-induced disasters in Jonglei State.
The flood mitigation project is funded by the Kingdom of Netherland and implemented by the International Organization for Immigration – South Sudan.
It aims to bolster the capacity of the government to develop an early warning system and climate-resilient infrastructure to reduce the impact of flooding in Bor and other areas.
Speaking during the launch on Friday, Muhammad Asar Ul Haq, the IOM Shelter and Settlement Cluster Technical Coordinator reiterated IOM’s willingness to provide the necessary support to boost resilience to climate-related adversities.
“This project is one of its kind in South Sudan. At least in my last five years, I haven’t come across of a project of this magnitude and with this approach,” Muhammad Asar said.
“I stand in front of you today to recognize and appreciate the state government and other authorities on the ground and the communities of Bor.
“As we move on, it is very important that the commitment that has been shown so far continues, without the commitment of stakeholders at both the state and national levels, we cannot go further.
“We are only here to assist you. The responsibility still lies with you and we are here with all the resources and spirit to support the people of Bor and the government of South Sudan.”
Meanwhile, the Dutch Ambassador to South Sudan warns that the country is likely to face another year of catastrophic flooding in the country.
Hence, the project will provide local communities, government, and partners with relevant hydrological data for informed intervention, strengthen the local capacities for better flood risk mitigation, and provide the targeted infrastructure to keep the population safe from floods.
More than 100,000 people in Bor town and its surroundings are expected to benefit from the pilot project.
Ambassador Jelte van Wieren says the threat of floods in 2022 is real, and that authorities must prepare for the worst case scenario.
“We must not forget that this is only the start of efforts to tackle the recent devastations of climate-induced floods in Bor and indeed the whole of South Sudan,” Van Wieren said.
“Floods have been devastating large areas of the country in the last three years, affecting almost a million every year, leading to loss of lives and loss of properties worth millions and worsening the already dire humanitarian situation in the country.
“This year again, we expect above-normal rainfall in the eastern part of South Sudan and heavy rains in the Victorian basin and the Ethiopian mountains, all of which are expected to flow into the Sudd.
“The threats of further floods in 2022 are real, and once again, Bor will continue to be the epicenter and we must prepare to face that challenge.”
In the recent months, scientific data from the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center has shown heavy rain in most parts of the East African Region
For his part, the Deputy Governor of Jonglei State Antipas Nyok appreciates the developmental partners for their support.
“Our gratitude to the people and government and Kingdom of Netherland for having stood with us during the tough times when we were and during floods in this particular part of the country,” Nyok said.
“We are extremely happy that this time around you came with a much more advanced and sophisticated approach on the ways how to go about the flooding in this area.
“The elements of scientific research especially by launching the area survey to the entire area so that we monitor the behavior of flooding in our own area.
“When we understand the behavior of the weather, especially the underground movement of the water, then we will be able to put forward plans that will be able to go about it. That’s the most important aspect.
“This time around we are glad that you came and applied this method which we think will help us a lot in trying to manage the flood.”
The IOM indicates that Jonglei State and its immediate surroundings have been one of the areas worst affected by flooding in the country.
Recent weather and climate-related disasters have resulted in a heavy burden of fatalities, displacing over 500,000 people in 2021 alone.