Finance Minister Dier Tong Ngor (seated center-left) sign $5.8 million AfDB grant in Juba. June 5, 2023. | Photo: Courtesy.

The Ministry of Finance and Planning has signed a $5.8 million grant donated by the African Development Bank for food and nutrition security in the country.

The two institutions struck the deal in Juba on Monday, June 5.

It was approved for South Sudan in April 2023 to finance building of resilience for food and nutrition security through the Africa Disaster Risk Financing program.

AfDB says its overall goal is to enhance the resilience and response to climate shocks in the country by improving the management of climate disaster risks.

To achieve this, the government and the continental bank intend to focus on enhancing climate services infrastructure and providing climate risk finance and insurance.

Dier Tong Ngor, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, spoke to the media after signing the deal on behalf of the South Sudan government.

“The first grant is meant to help and enhance resilience and response to climate shock in South Sudan as it will contribute to improving our ability to manage climate risks and disaster,” he said.

“The project will enhance climate services and infrastructure and also provide climate risks finance and insurance we have the other document the second grand is meant to support refugees and host communities to provide training, provide seed financing that will help the entrepreneur the capacity of these communities”.

Last year, the African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors approved a one-point-five US dollar grant to help African countries avert a looming food crisis.

Africa reportedly faces a shortage of at least 30 million metric tons of food, especially wheat, maize, and soya beans imported due to the disruption of food supplies arising from the Russia-Ukraine war.