EU grants $41 million to support rural communities in South Sudan

(radiotamazuj.org)

The European Union Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) has allocated $41 for the United Nations Office for Projects and Services (UNOPS) and the World Food Programme (WFP) to support rural communities through resilience-building activities, improve infrastructure and reduce isolation in remote rural areas with agriculture.

The European Union (EU) says part of the funds will also be used for the construction of feeder roads to connect rural communities in parts of Northern and Western Bahr el Ghazal States and greater Upper Nile.

"The project of the feeder roads aims to strengthen the livelihoods of the rural communities to improve the security of the target vulnerable population in Northern and Western Bahr el Ghazal States. Our implementing partners include WFP, UNOPS, and international organizations and global NGOs," EU representative Wim Vanden Broucke said while addressing the press in Juba on Friday. 

For his part, WFP Country Representative in South Sudan, Mattew Hollingworth said, "This project which is jointly ordered through UNOPS and the World Food Program using resources of the European Union is going to make possible our ability to link communities, to create connectivity that can scroll livelihood, that can give people jobs, and provide economic opportunities to people across the country and bring community-led development." 

UNOPS Head of Support Services Norah Tindimuzara said the project "Feeder Road Construction to strengthen the livelihoods and resilience of rural communities" includes upgrading rural roads, improving stakeholder capacity to plan and maintain roads as well as enhance ownership, social cohesion, and gender equality. 

"The new scope will include the $2million feeder road construction of 115km road and two priority bridges, one in Nyamlel and others. This work will begin in Northern and Western Bahr el Gazal and Warrap states," she said.

WFP's component of the project will be implemented over the course of four years through WFP's smallholder Agriculture Market Support (SAMS) and the Food Assistant for Assets (FFA) program components.