JUBA — South Sudan’s cabinet has opened deliberations on a new resource-backed road construction arrangement involving an unnamed company, a month after the government unveiled the $2 billion “Gold for Roads” initiative.
During a Council of Ministers meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Friday, ministers held what officials described as “extensive discussions” on the proposed engagement of “a company associated with road construction projects, particularly in relation to resource-linked arrangements.”
The disclosure, contained in a statement from the presidency, offers the clearest indication yet that the government is moving forward with plans to tie infrastructure development to natural resource financing. This approach has already drawn scrutiny following the Oil for Roads initiative, which was marred by corruption.
While authorities have framed the strategy as a way to unlock large-scale infrastructure without immediate cash outlays, critics warn that such deals risk mortgaging the country’s mineral wealth under opaque terms.
Notably, the cabinet statement did not name the company under consideration, nor did it disclose the specific resources involved, the valuation framework, or repayment conditions.
The ministers “exchanged views on the matter,” suggesting the proposal has not yet secured full consensus within the cabinet. However, the level of discussion signals that the arrangement is under active consideration at the highest level of government.
South Sudan has long struggled with poor road connectivity, with most parts of the country becoming inaccessible during the rainy season. Successive governments have pledged to prioritise road construction, but progress has been slow due to funding constraints and governance challenges.
Friday’s cabinet session also reviewed outcomes from President Kiir’s participation in the African Union Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa, where ministers endorsed resolutions linked to the implementation of the 2018 revitalised peace agreement.
However, the debate over the unnamed road construction deal emerged as the most consequential item, underscoring growing pressure on the government to balance infrastructure ambitions with transparency and long-term economic safeguards.
The meeting was adjourned before a final decision was reached, with remaining agenda items deferred to subsequent sessions. Officials said the adjournment also allowed ministers to attend funeral prayers at the UNMISS compound in Juba for the late Nicholas Haysom, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative in South Sudan.
The cabinet is expected to revisit the matter in upcoming meetings, with attention likely to focus on the terms, oversight mechanisms, and public disclosure of any eventual agreement.
