The roads now link isolated communities and facilitate relief, resettlement and good governance. Photo:UNOPS/Azusa Chiba

These new roads are the first engineered all-weather gravel roads in South Sudan and form part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Accelerated Infrastructure Program implemented by UNOPS. This programme focuses on improving critical public infrastructure that supports basic services, builds markets and helps consolidate peace for the people of South Sudan. The roads now link isolated communities and facilitate relief, resettlement, and good governance in the wake of two decades of civil war that devastated Southern Sudan’s infrastructure and crippled the local economy.

The completion of the Diabio-Tambura route (105 km) and emergency rehabilitation of the Diabio-Ezo route (77 km) was marked with a large ceremony in June, attended by officials from the United States Government, the Government of Southern Sudan and the United Nations.

Lise Grande, the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in South Sudan, summed up the developments with the statement: “The worst road in South Sudan is now the best.”

USAID Sudan Mission Director Bill Hammink said: “These roads represent the longstanding partnership between USAID and the Ministry of Transport and Roads in Western Equatoria State.”

The Governor of Western Equatoria State, H.E. Joseph B. Bakosoro said: “I am grateful for the support from the people of America, USAID, UNOPS, the contractors and others. Now it is the role of the people of Sudan to maintain the road for long term use.”

Western Equatoria State, one of the largest states in Southern Sudan and commonly referred to as the ‘Bread Basket of Sudan’, is starting the long climb back to its former productivity, with small-scale farmers producing surplus for local markets.

Tereza Paul estimates that her income has increased around 1.5 times since the road was improved. Photo:UNOPS/Azusa Chiba

Local business owners attested to the increased business brought as each new section of the road is completed.

Tereza Paul, 40, works in the market to support her four children. She said: “I’ve been selling nuts here since 2009, so that I can afford to send my children to school. I estimate my income has increased around 1.5 times since the road was improved.”

Mathew Luca, 29, is an ex-combatant turned market seller. He said: “I worked for five years in Nzara as a soldier. After retirement, I only had a small amount of money. It was not enough to start a business in a big city. This Naandi market is a good start for me. And because there is a road now, the supply situation is convenient, and there are needs in the village that I can meet.”

He added: “Over the next few years, I’ll save money to start a new bigger business.”

Four of the six sub-contractors that worked on the project are Sudanese companies – a testament to the local contracting capacity that has been developed over the years.

Other beneficiaries of the project include staff of the State Ministry of Physical Infrastructure whose capacity was built during the implementation of the project.