By Deng Ghai Deng
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has partnered with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to procure essential hand tools for flood mitigation in South Sudan.
This $299,000 initiative is part of the Regional Climate Resilience Program for Eastern and Southern Africa, funded by the World Bank.
Under the agreement, UNOPS will supply 152,000 sandbags, 247,750 liters of fuel, 2,200 spades and shovels, 2,200 pick-axes, 700 wheelbarrows, 460 plastic sheets, 200 digging bars, and 99 empty drums with a capacity of 250 liters.
These tools aim to bolster South Sudan’s capacity to respond to flooding and support affected communities in Bor, Pibor, and Fangak counties.
Peter Mahal, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, emphasized the importance of this initiative in complementing ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and other partners.
He urged UNOPS to expedite the procurement and delivery of supplies to alleviate the suffering in flood-affected areas.
“This $300,000 amount is small but it will give some support to a few out of the affected 700,000 people at the moment,” Mahal stated. “We urge UNOPS to address this current scenario affecting our population, adding to the hardship that most of our population are facing.”
Leslie Mhara, UNOPS Program Coordinator, reaffirmed UNOPS’s commitment to timely delivery of the tools.
“We are here as partners to ensure we put in place mitigatory and preparatory measures to reduce the impact of unforeseen events,” Mhara said.
According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 890,000 people have been affected by flooding in 40 counties across South Sudan, leading to massive displacement, loss of livelihoods, and destruction of critical infrastructure.
Approximately 226,000 people have abandoned their homes, with 114,480 displaced from Unity State alone.