The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US$ 24 million investment to finance the South Sudan Strategic Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project. The project seeks to rehabilitate a 50km distribution network from Juba, country’s capital, to the centers of popular water collection, directly benefiting more than 300 thousand people. The implementation of the project will start in 2019.
“By helping to improve the quality and delivery of urban water supply services in Juba city and strengthening rural water supply and sanitation services, the project will greatly assist its target population,” said Bank Country Manager for South Sudan, Benedict Kanu. He also believes that the investment will help fight diseases and improve the quality of life in the country.
+ The city of Juba has been suffering for years of armed conflict, which has severely affected the situation of the population. The country, which gained independence in 2011, is experiencing an intense refugee crisis.
In the future, the project will also contemplate the development of solar-powered water distribution systems and the promotion of sanitation and hygiene in high-density rural communities around Juba.
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“The incorporation of a rural water and sanitation component in areas that are relatively safe to reach indicates that the project opens a pathway for more support,” explained Osward Chanda, Manager for the Water Security and Sanitation Division at the Department of Water Development and Sanitation.