South Sudan government told not to ‘sell’ country to Egypt

JUBA – South Sudan prominent and outspoken activists Edmund Yakani has urged the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit to conduct ‘credible and independent’ studies on the its plans to dredge rivers and resume the construction of Jonglei Canal, and not to ‘sell’ the country on Egyptian interest.

South Sudan government announced in June the arrival of a 21-truck convoy from Egypt via Sudan carrying machines the government would use for dredging Nam River, an important tributary of the River Nile, of weed and mud.

The announcement sparked controversy and renewed anti-Egyptian sentiments in the world’s youngest country with calls for the government to first carry out a risk assessment study to better inform the initiative the government said would help alleviate floods.

Speaking to Sudans Post in an exclusive interview this afternoon, Yakani who is also the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) urged the government to listen to the citizens and stop the initiative until when risk assessment studies are conducted.

“The government should listen to the massive voices of the citizens which are increasingly becoming anti-dredging. The dredging of the River and Jonglei Canal is total rejected by the citizens,” Yakani told Sudans Post on Friday.

“As Executive Director of CEPO, I am urging the government to stop the project until essential studies are done because the dredging initiative and the resumption of Jonglei Canal is should not be a priority for the government as per now,” he added.

He called on the government in Juba to conduct credible study to establish impact of the initiative and not to sell the country at the best interest of Egypt.

“CEPO calls for the government to undergo a credible and independent impact surveys. Don’t sell the country for the purpose of just meeting Egyptian interests only,” he urged.