Chinese embassy donates humanitarian assistance to IDPs in Magwi County
By Denis Ejulu
The Chinese embassy in South Sudan on Wednesday donated vital humanitarian assistance to support thousands of people displaced by communal violence in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria State.
Over 20,000 people have been displaced from Magwi following fighting since January 2025, between the local farming community and cattle herders from neighboring Jonglei State.
Lawrence Akola Sarafino, director general for planning, training and coordination in the ministry of humanitarian affairs and disaster management said the food and non-food items provided will help relieve the suffering of the displaced population.
“Your dedication, compassion and endless support have made great impact in the lives of the needy people of South Sudan. This is not the first time I want to express the gratitude of the South Sudanese people to the government of China; several times you have been one of the first countries to give a hand,” Akola said during the handover ceremony in Juba.
The donated items include rice, corn flour, sugar, salt, cooking oil, instant noodles, bottled water, and canvas, cooking saucepans, stainless steel bowl and sanitary pads.
Betty Achan Ogwaro, member of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) representing Magwi County, said the assistance was timely to relieve the hardship amid the current rainy season.
“I am so excited to see the items that are displayed here, the most important to me and which is very exciting are the footballs because the community after having conflict with the community of Jonglei State, they have requested the parliamentary caucus to look for footballs so that they begin to play football with the Jonglei community in order to build peace among themselves,” Achan said.
She noted that many of the girls dropped out of school due to lack of sanitary pads, adding that she hopes the sanitary pads donated by the Chinese embassy will enable them to return to school.
Julius Ajeo Moilinga, chairperson of the Eastern Equatoria State parliamentary caucus in the TNLA, said the support provided by the Chinese embassy is a sign of hope for the people of Magwi.
Ma Qiang, Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan said that the Chinese government and people empathize with the suffering of the South Sudanese people and have always been assisting South Sudan in getting through hard times.
“Last year, we donated nearly 1,000 tons of emergency food assistance and 8,808 tents to South Sudan. All of these supplies have been distributed to the affected people,” Ma said.
He noted that China attaches importance to long-term assistance, providing hundreds of opportunities of capacity building programs annually and has also built a number of hospitals, bridges, and buildings.
“China hopes that South Sudan could achieve peace at an early date. It hopes that all parties in South Sudan could put national interests and people’s well-being first, focus on domestic economic and social development, and continue to create a good environment of peace and stability so that people can live a good life,” Ma said.
