Japan hands over Shuhada Bridge to South Sudan government

JUBA – The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Monday handed over Shuhada Bridge, commonly known as Martyrs Bridge, to the South Sudanese government after nearly a year of construction.

The bridge connects the University of Juba to Giada and Jebel Market in Juba County, Central Equatoria State. The project, which began in mid-2022, is part of a broader initiative to construct bridges in Juba.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, South Sudan’s Minister of Roads and Bridges, Simon Mijok Mijak, expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for funding the bridge.

“Today, we are gathered here to witness the opening of Martyrs Bridge to traffic. The opening of Martyrs Bridge follows the opening of Albino Bridge, which was done this year in February 2024,” Mijak said.

He added that the bridge will ease the movement of people.

“But such suffering has come to an end as we open this bridge to the public today, and I must also thank JICA, the contractor, and City Eye for applying Japanese standards while building this road,” Mijak said.

The minister also disclosed plans to start construction of Kokora or Tajaria Bridge in December.

Japanese Ambassador to South Sudan, Odagiri Toshio, said, “This bridge has become a successful project that South Sudan and Japan have achieved together.”

He thanked Japan for its continued support of the country’s self-sustainable development through infrastructure projects and technology transfer.

JICA Representative Hiroyuki Tanaka said the Japanese government will send a team of experts to Juba to train South Sudanese engineers on bridge maintenance.

“Today’s handover marks a critical milestone in the progress of this grant aid project entitled ‘the project for construction of Bridges in Juba,’” Tanaka said.

He added that JICA aims to support South Sudan’s authorities in developing sustainable transport infrastructure, enabling unhindered movement and safe transport of commuters and goods.