By Bida Elly David
Cabinet has passed a memo presented by the National Minister of Roads and Bridges on the construction of the Juba-Torit-Nadapal Highway, hoping for assistance from the World Bank.
The Minister of Roads and Bridges, Simon Mijok Mijak, presented keynotes on the status of the construction of the highway during the regular cabinet meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir on Friday, May 24, 2024.
Addressing the media shortly after the meeting, Jacob Maiju Korok, the deputy minister of information, said the major aim of speeding the construction of the highway was to facilitate regional trade.
“South Sudan is seeking finances from the World Bank so that they can actually start constructing the road from Nadapal to Juba. The part of Kenya has been finalized by the Kenyan government,” he told journalists.
He said the route of Uganda through the Nimule-Juba highway is not enough to foster trade between South Sudan and the region.
“Now we are relying on the Juba-Nimule road for our needs from Kampala; if this Juba-Nadapal highway is opened, it will be easy for things to come from Kenya directly to South Sudan, and it could really ease imports and exports of resources through Mombasa port,” he explained.
Jacob stated that South Sudan and Kenya are engaged positively on how to progress this road despite the challenges faced.
The deputy minister, however, decline to disclose how much budget has been allocated for the construction of the highway, saying it is yet to be decided when donors will accept to fund the project.
He highlighted that the construction of the road network would have commenced earlier than this time, but disputes along the boundaries hampered it.
He further explained that there have been claims of ownership of the 11 kilometers between South Sudanese and Kenyans at the border, which was where the dispute started.
“There was actually a dispute, eleven kilometers from Nadapal. Recently, our minister of roads and bridges and his counterpart in Kenya deliberated, and the dispute was resolved,” he noted.
He said that through the regional meetings in Kampala, the issue has already been resolved, which is why the construction is soon to kick off.
Despite the approval for the construction, Jacob said financial constraints remain a stumbling block for the project to kick off.