BOR—The government of South Sudan is advancing plans to build a 94-kilometre flood-protection dyke between Bor South and Twic East counties in Jonglei State to help protect communities from recurrent flooding while preserving access to water and safeguarding local livelihoods.
On November 2, 2026, a delegation from the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation led by Undersecretary Sultan Lam Tungwar Kueigwong visited Jonglei State capital, Bor, where the project was discussed.
The delegation inspected flood-protection infrastructure under the World Bank-supported Regional Climate Resilience Programme, implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and met Jonglei State officials to discuss flood management and maintenance of existing structures.
Undersecretary Lam said the proposed dyke would include culverts and wildlife crossings to reduce its impact on the environment and allow seasonal water flows and animal movement.
“It is designed to be environmentally and animal-friendly, with multiple culverts and dedicated wildlife crossings. We must not build a wall against nature, but a filter that lets the Sudd breathe while holding back the destructive surge,” he said.
South Sudan has experienced severe flooding in recent years that has caused widespread flooding and displacement.
According to the United Nations, floods have affected an estimated 1,024,500 people across 29 counties in six states, while nearly 355,000 people have been displaced. Jonglei and Unity accounted for nearly 87 per cent of those affected.
Greater Pibor Administrative Area was also severely affected, with flooding impacting more than 43,000 people across six counties in October 2025, the UN reported.
Lam said Jonglei’s location in the Sudd, a vast, low-lying floodplain, makes it particularly vulnerable to inundation. The White Nile loses roughly half its flow in the region through evaporation and transpiration, he said, adding that even small rises in river levels can cause widespread flooding.
“This is not a cyclical inconvenience; it is a permanent shift in the baseline, and our engineering must be calibrated to it,” Lam said.
During the visit, the delegation inspected a rehabilitated dyke section at Payueny in Malou Block and drainage channel works extending from Kuocngo in Tibek Block to Langbaar D in Langbaar Block in Bor town.
Lam said discussions also focused on maintaining community access to swamp water for farming. He said IOM demonstrated gravity-flow pipes installed through the embankment and called for further technical refinement to ensure flood protection does not undermine livelihoods.
“A dyke that starves a floodplain of its seasonal inundation simply converts a flood problem into a food-security problem,” he said.
Bor Municipal Council Mayor John Dut Kuch also called for improved road connectivity between Payueny and Bor Town to help residents reach healthcare and other essential services.
The delegation further inspected drainage works in Bor Municipality and dyke repairs by the World Food Programme. Lam said drainage and water stagnation in low-lying areas require careful hydrological planning to reduce the risk of waterborne disease.
The visit included meetings with Caretaker Governor Maj. Gen. Moses Majok Gatluak and state officials. Lam said local communities must be involved in protecting and maintaining flood-control infrastructure.
“Communities must be enlightened, youths engaged, and everyone must understand that these are not government structures, they are your structures,” the Undersecretary said.
The ministry said the delegation would next visit Upper Nile, Unity and Lakes states to assess water and flood-management needs. It also plans further assessments in Eastern Equatoria, Warrap and Northern Bahr el Ghazal.
