South Sudan - Ethiopia road connection

The governments of South Sudan and Ethiopia have agreed to jointly finance two major roads linking the two countries.

One of the roads will connect the oil-rich Paloch to Pagak in Upper Nile State through Gambella in western Ethiopia.

The second road will run from Dima in Ethiopia through Jebel-Raad to Boma, and Bor in South Sudan.

Once constructed, the roads will provide access for South Sudan to the Port of Djibouti and boost trade between Addis Ababa and Juba.

Minister Simon Mijok Mijak says the two countries have agreed to co-finance the road projects.

“These two roads are going to be financed jointly between the two countries and while waiting for the two countries to mobilize resources for financing the roads,” said Mijak.

“Ethiopia has agreed to lend South Sudan some finances to begin the road construction. I have received the financing agreement which I will forward to my colleague, the Minister of Finance and Planning.”

For his part, Nebil Mahdi, the Ethiopian Ambassador to South Sudan says his country will kick-start the construction of the roads as soon as possible.

“As Ethiopian government, we are committed to finance with South Sudan (the construction of roads) as the first part then other finances will follow. We are working seriously to resume these road projects as soon as possible.”

The recommitment to build the linking roads comes five years after President Salva Kiir and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn agreed on the projects in 2017.