South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Jenifer James
The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), in partnership with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), has launched a USD 9.98 million project aimed at protecting communities from flooding and restoring access to clean water across South Sudan.
This one-year initiative, funded by the World Bank, will focus on repairing dikes and drainage systems, rehabilitating handpumps and wateryards, and engaging communities to build long-term resilience.
Speaking to the media, the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Achier Manyuat John, said that the government is fully committed to ensuring the success of the programme.
“We are determined to deliver these life-changing interventions with transparency and accountability so that communities can live safely and access clean water,” he said during the launch.
According to Achier, the programme will focus on supporting communities in Upper Nile, Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria, and Lakes States, areas that have been severely affected by flooding. Thousands of people in these regions have been displaced from their homes, and many continue to struggle without reliable access to clean and safe water.
Achier described the initiative as a crucial step towards building a more water-secure and resilient South Sudan, emphasising the importance of proactive measures to address recurring natural disasters.
Meanwhile, the UNOPS country manager in South Sudan, Petronella Halwindi Kasaka, highlighted that the project is designed to support the government in both mitigating the impact of floods and enhancing the resilience of affected communities.
“As UNOPS, we are coming in as an implementing partner to support the government in fulfilling its mandate, not only to reduce the impact of floods but also to strengthen the capacity of communities to recover and adapt to future challenges,” she said.
