Victoria Kwakwa, World Bank Director for Eastern and Southern Africa and several official toured a fish market in Bor town. (Photo: Obaj Okuj/ Eye Radio.)

The World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa has commended the resilience of South Sudanese women and youth in managing independent businesses despite limited resources.

Victoria Kwakwa arrived in South Sudan and visited Bor town accompanied by senior officials from the economic cluster, to engage youth and women in building resilience through independent business in Bor town, of Jonglei state.

The World Bank official also visited a fish marketing port located a few hundred meters from the fishing village, along the shores of the Nile.

She appreciated the work of UN agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) which funds agricultural projects in the state.

“I come with a strong sense of what a little bit of resources can do. But I have seen the determination and ownership of the community themselves that a little external support with along the way to change the living standard of the people.” she said at Juba International Airport upon arrival from Bor on Sunday.

“The importance of women and the way women are benefiting and women as agents of change and agent of development was very evident in the visit that we saw, and finally, the importance of a strong partnership.”

“First of all, none of this would have been possible without the strong partnership we have with the government of South Sudan.”

On Sunday, March 26, 2023, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Josephine Joseph Lagu, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec, and Minister of Finance Dier Tong accompanied the high-level delegation to Bor town.

During the trip, Josephine joined developmental partners in calling for greater investment in agriculture and social protection sectors in order to increase food security and nutrition and incomes of South Sudanese people.

They visit the Resilient Agricultural Livelihood project implemented by FAO that strengthens the capacity of farmers and their organizations, improve household food production and productivity.

The members of the Leudiet Fishing Village Group catch and process fish for home consumption and to be sold in the market.

The group members have been trained in processing techniques, including drying and salting, and have also been provided with fishing supplies such as nets and hooks

Currently, fish are at a record high price because of increasing demand for export to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the traders each fish bundle costs approximately 1,200 US dollars in the market, where it is being exported to Uganda and other neighboring countries.

During the trip to Bor, the delegation visited a RALP-supported group producing vegetables for market. The grocery sellers have already harvested and sold their first batch of tomatoes and okra.

Under ELRP, the visiting delegation to Bor witnessed a Labour-Intensive Public Works (LIPW) initiative and a cash payment site where participants received cash.

According to South Sudan’s economic outlook, published by the African Development Bank, poverty has increased in the country from 55.4% in 2020 to 55.9% in 2021 and unemployment remained high at 18%.