Michael Allah-Jabu, the Mayor of Juba City - credit | Lou Nelson/Eye Radio | Nov. 29, 2021

Juba City Council has acquired a grant of $4 million from development partners for the construction of the first modern shopping Mall in the city.

The funding from the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization and the African Development Bank is aimed at boosting trade in the capital.

The shopping Mall is said to be functional within one and a half years.

Last week, Mayor Allah Jabu led a delegation to Nairobi Kenya to acquaint himself with the best practices of developing a city infrastructure.

Upon arrival in Juba yesterday, Allah Jabu told the press that the visit also aimed to establish good relations between Juba and Nairobi municipalities.

“We have just arrived from Nairobi Kenya after a joint trip between the city council and UN FAO team. The purpose of the visit is official and composed of main areas of concern,”  Mayor Allah Jabu said.

“The issue that we shared is about the initiation and establishment of the modern market in Juba. We want to build a mall, a big mall which should be the first of its kind in the city of Juba.”

For his part, the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization country representative Meshack Malo says his organization is working with the African Development Bank to help build the modern market.

“As a Food and Agriculture Organization, we believe that it is the time the people of South Sudan begin to get into trade. And in order to trade, you need markets. Unfortunately, the capital Juba does not have a modern market,” Malo said.

“The FAO together with the African Development Bank in partnership with the council is planning to design a modern market for the people of Juba as a start.

“The amount of money that we hope to spend on this is about $4 million. This is a grant for the people of Juba. So a grant is not a loan, when it is a loan is when it is to be repaid.”