Achier Manyuat John, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, and Petronella Halwindi Kasaka, UNOPS Country Manager, during the signing ceremony in Juba. Credit: Courtesy

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) – The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) have signed a $9.98 million project agreement funded by the World Bank.

The project aims to strengthen flood defenses and improve access to clean water for flood-affected and water-stressed communities nationwide.

The one-year project will focus on key interventions, including $3.05 million for dike repairs and drainage in Maban and $2.73 million for the rehabilitation of 60 hand pumps and eight water yards in Eastern Equatoria.

Additionally, it will fund repairs to hand pumps, dikes, and drainage systems in Upper Nile and Jonglei.

Achier Manyuat John, the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, emphasized the Ministry’s full commitment to accountability and transparency in delivering the interventions.

He stated the project would benefit communities in Upper Nile, Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria, and Lakes States.

“The contract covers five components, one dike, repair, reinforcement, five kilometers in Buny Town [Maban]. The second point in the first component is the repair and reinforcement of three kilometers of dike in the Kaya refugee-hosting area,” Manyuat explained.

“The third one is the construction of drainage; five culverts have been included in the agreement. The third one is the rehabilitation of 60 unfirm and eight water yards in Eastern Equatoria. The fourth output is in Jonglei state, Adar to Jale community, dike repair and Bor town. What made us enter into such an agreement is for quick intervention,” he added.

Petronella Halwindi Kasaka, the UNOPS country manager in South Sudan, said the project aims to support the government in mitigating floods and strengthening the resilience of affected communities.

“As UNOPS, we are coming in as an implementing partner to come and support the government to implement its mandate of helping to mitigate floods, but also to build the resilience of communities affected by floods across the country,” she said.

The project emphasizes community participation, the use of local labor, and environmental safeguards to ensure a sustainable, long-term impact on the affected communities.