South Sudan, China ink two technical cooperation deals

JUBA, Aug. 23 -- South Sudan and China on Friday signed two technical cooperation deals that will involve China granting the construction of 47 boreholes and sending technical experts to offer guidance on project equipment in the recently constructed Kiir Mayardit hospital in the central Rumbek area.

Hua Ning, Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan, said these projects will enable millions of South Sudanese to have access to clean water and medical services amid prevailing peace due to the signed peace deal which is largely holding.

"I am very honored to sign two cooperative projects between China and South Sudan, one is bore holes drilling and water supply project. Chinese government is going to help build 47 drilling boreholes of which 32 are normal wells and the rest are hand pumps," Hua said during the signing ceremony in Juba.

He said these boreholes will be distributed to four states including Terekeka, Yei River, Eastern Lakes and Jubek states of South Sudan.

"We understand that nowadays millions of South Sudanese people still lack access to clean water that's also the major concern of the Chinese government and the Chinese Embassy here," he said, adding that the Chinese government always practices people-oriented policy which considers the well-being of the people as top priority.

Mayen Dut Wol, undersecretary in the ministry of foreign affairs, lauded China for supporting and standing with South Sudan during the five years of conflict in addition to supporting the oil, health and education sectors as the country seeks post-conflict recovery since the outbreak of conflict in December 2013.

China has been standing with the people of South Sudan since the African nation's independence in different fields and particularly in the oil sector, Wol said.

"What China has done is still up to this moment on the ground and you have been there with us during our crisis since 2013 up to this moment and we want this spirit to continue so that people of South Sudan and China continue to work together," said Wol.

Under the phase 2 technical cooperation project for Kiir Mayardit women's hospital in Rumbek, China will dispatch experts to South Sudan to render technical guidance on the project equipment in the hospital, train local technical staff, provide on-site guidance and assistance to local technical staff on the daily maintenance of the buildings and equipment in the hospital as well as supply some equipment, materials and spare parts.

The total period of the technical cooperation project shall be three years starting from the date of arrival of the Chinese technical personnel in South Sudan.