Juba River Port construction halted over land dispute

JUBA – Construction of the Juba River Port, a key infrastructure project aimed at boosting waterborne trade in South Sudan, has been placed on hold due to a land dispute, the government announced.

The council of ministers directed the ministry of transport to pursue legal avenues to resolve the issue, according to deputy minister of information Jacob Mijok Korok.

Transport Minister Madut Biar Yel presented a memo on Friday to the cabinet outlining the challenges hindering the project’s implementation.

These challenges included the presence of “other government personnel” within the fenced project site who resisted attempts to vacate the area.

Korok added that plots of land within the project area had also been allocated to individuals, creating further complications.

“There is a court hearing currently ongoing to address these issues. The Council of Ministers advised the Minister to wait for the court’s decision before any resolution is made on the project’s future,” he told reporters following the meeting.

The project, funded with a $38 million grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), aims to construct a modern river port with modular facilities.

The agreement for the project’s construction was signed in December 2021.

The delay caused by the land dispute casts uncertainty on the timeline for the project’s completion.

With the crucial water transportation hub on hold, South Sudan’s efforts to improve its trade infrastructure face a setback.