China, South Sudan sign borehole drilling and water supply deal

The governments of South Sudan and China on Friday signed implementation agreement of the borehole drilling and water supply project that will ease access to clean and safe water to populations in two states.

Pal Mai Deng, minister of water resources and irrigation said the China-aided water project will see 47 wells in total, including 32 normal wells and 15 hand pumps established in Central Equatorial state and neighboring Lakes state.

“Once we have this implementation in place, I am sure that most of the problems regarding water shortage in those locations will definitely be reduced,” Mai said during the signing ceremony in Juba.

In August, 2019, the governments of China and South Sudan signed the exchange of notes which paved way for the implementation of the project expected to start in the second half of this year after the tendering work for construction contractor is completed.

Mai said the project demonstrates strong bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

“It’s a great pleasure that the government of China has been very supportive it is not only with this project that China has been generous,” he said.

Ma Qiang, Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan said the water project will transform lives of populations in rural and urban areas who hitherto have been finding difficulty in accessing clean and safe water.

“This project will focus on borehole drilling for water supply in village-level small population gathering areas and town-level large population gathering areas in South Sudan. It will provide reliable clean water for the local people, help to prevent water-borne diseases and protect the health of local residents, improve the living conditions and promote the development of agricultural production,” Ma said.

He said the two countries completed negotiation of implementation agreement for this project and reached consensus on items such as engineering technology, commerce and taxation, laying a solid foundation for the implementation of the project.

China has supported construction of two hospitals, schools and modernization of the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation facilities, and also expansion and modernization of Juba international airport, and construction of Jur River Bridge in Wau.