Navigating South Sudan’s Landlocked Dilemma Seeking Regional Integration and Connectivity

South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan in 2011, is a landlocked country in the East African region. The mineral-rich country, which borders Uganda, Kenya, DR Congo, Central African Republic, Sudan, and Ethiopia, still has poor road infrastructure twelve years after attaining its independence.

During the SPLA liberation times and after the 2005 peace agreement, the then Southern Sudan government, together with development partners, embarked on renovating and constructing old and new road projects to facilitate and improve transport and the delivery of social services across the Southern part of the Country.

It is also known worldwide that good roads promote socio-economic development programs such as urbanization, trade, and access to basic public social services like education, health, water, electricity, and communication. Thus, having good road infrastructure promotes socio-economic development.

In recent years, the South Sudanese government has strategically invested in national road projects connecting one state to another as well as some neighboring Countries, which is a positive step towards improving our road network and our country.

These inter-state highway construction projects include the greater Upper Nile, the greater Bhar-el-ghazal, and the greater Equatoria road networks. 

I believe it is important to thank the president, his deputies, key ministries, state and county governments, and development companies involved in the initiation and implementation of these road construction projects for their contribution to socio-economic development.

Construction projects for asphalt (tarmac) roads on the Juba-Bor highway and the Juba-Terekeka-Rumbek highway have already begun. However, the Juba-Lainya-Lainya-Morobo-Kaya (Central Equatoria), Juba-Mundri-Maridi-Yambio (Western Equatoria), and Juba-Torit-Nimule-Kapoeta-Narus roads (Eastern Equatoria) have only seen bush clearances and seem to be paused.

Road investment projects are expensive and difficult to implement if not well coordinated, facilitated, and managed. However, the following recommendations can help policy makers and developers improve on current and future road development projects:

Key recommendations:

1. Review the design and methodology used for road development projects.

2. Prioritize key economic and agricultural production roads (Juba-Nimule Road, Juba-Lainya-Yei-Kaya road, Juba-Maridi-Yambio road) in areas of food production.

3. Allocate funds in a timely manner to complete the already started roads.

4. Ensure accountable and correct use of resources (money, materials, and assets).

5. Strengthen the South Sudan National Road Authority (NRA) to set standards and monitor road works.

6. Establish the South Sudan National Environmental Authority (SSNEMA) if it does not already exist to address environmental effects and audit reports.

7. The South Sudan National Revenue Authority (SSNRA) should propose tax measures to sustainably maintain the road network during and after construction works.

As citizens, it is our responsibility to support, take ownership of, and promote such development projects positively and collectively. This will attract development, urbanization, reduce unemployment rates, and improve sustainable livelihoods among local communities.

By Daniel Friday Martin

MBA Student

NB: The views expressed here are mine as a student and are protected by my constitutional right to freedom of expression as a citizen.