Vice President Taban Deng Gai, and Simon Mijok Mijak, Minister of Road and Bridges, visited Freedom Bridge to inspect the progress of the project on 18th November, 2021 - photo credit -JICA

The government announced the work at Freedom Bridge in Juba has been completed and will be officially opened by President Salva Kiir next month, the minister of Road and Bridge has said.

In March 2015, President Salva Kiir and the Japan International Cooperation Agency inaugurated the 3.6-kilometre-long bridge.

The $91 million project was expected to reach completion within a few years after the inauguration.

But when renewed conflict erupted in 2016, Japanese aid workers were evacuated from South Sudan and suspended the constructions of the Freedom Bridge.

In 2019 after resumption of the construction, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese engineers working on the bridge were again evacuated, putting another halt to the construction.

But speaking to reporters yesterday during an inspection visit at the bridge, the minister of Road and Bridges Simon Mijok Majak said the new bridge will be opened by President Kiir next month.

Minister Mijok applauded the Japanese government for a job well done.

“The Freedom Bridge is ready and it will be opened by His Excellency the president of the republic in May 2022. This is great news,” said Simon Mijak, the minister of Road and Bridges.

“I thank the Japanese government for the great work they have shown and given to the people of South Sudan and we are also urging the Japanese government to move to the next level of investment.

“This bridge is a grant and to go ahead with constructing more bridges. The government of South Sudan is open to investment in mega bridges.”

The initial estimated cost of the construction was $91 million but in 2019, the government of Japan pledged an additional $28 million for the completion of the bridge

The bridge is expected to be formidable for about 100 years.