South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"

By Awan Achiek
President Salva Kiir Mayardit said on Wednesday that the country is set to officially take over the ownership of its sovereign airspace from Sudan.
He disclosed that the government has established the necessary infrastructure aimed at reclaiming its territorial airspace.
“Consequently, the Ministry of Transport and South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority are in the process of taking over the control of South Sudan territorial airspace from the Republic of Sudan, taking full control of our airspace will enable our country to register airlines as well as collecting fees,” Kiir said while presiding over the reopening ceremony of the national parliament in Juba.
“I am pleased to inform you, that the air traffic management system which started in July 2020 was completed in December 2023 and is now ready for commissioning,” he added.

In 2016, the government of South Sudan signed a three-year agreement with Sudan under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to manage and control its airspace.
According to the agreement, South Sudan would take over the control of its airspace territory after training and acquiring a qualified workforce to oversee the system.
In September, the Sudanese committee managing the airspace was directed by the cabinet to continue its job until South Sudan is ready to assume the role.
South Sudan will be able to collect fees from all aircraft using the airspace; a source of revenue that could bring in tens of millions of dollars each year.
The mega construction of the air traffic management system started in July 2020 after the government contracted China Harbor Engineering Company.
The work stalled in 2022 after the company suspended construction after the government failed to pay.
The Air Traffic Management (ATM) system is a 200 million U.S. dollar concessional loan project to South Sudan, channeled through the Export-Import Bank of China.
The project comprises the construction of the Juba ATM centre, new Air Traffic control tower and operation building, surveillance system, navigation system, communication system, and the civil engineering and supporting facilities such as meteorological facilities, calibration flight test, and personnel training.