IGAD: Building Stronger Pathways for South Sudan’s Blue Economy

(JUBA, South Sudan): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in collaboration with the Government of South Sudan, convened a two-day national workshop to strengthen the country’s National Blue Economy Coordination Platform (NBECP). Supported by the Government of Sweden, the initiative focused on reinforcing governance frameworks, enhancing coordination across Blue Economy related sectors, and mobilising resources to implement South Sudan’s National Blue Economy Strategy developed with the support of IGAD.

Welcoming participants on behalf of the Director of IGAD’s Agriculture and Environment Division, Mr Daher Elmi, Dr Eshete Dejen, Program Manager for Suatainable Environment Protection at IGAD, underlined the importance of coordination at the national level: “Strengthening national coordination platforms is central to building a resilient and sustainable inclusive Blue Economy that can drive growth and integration for South Sudan and the entire region.”

The workshop brought together representatives from government ministries and institutions of South Sudan, and IGAD experts to deliberate on integrating Blue Economy priorities into national development plans, addressing coordination challenges, and exploring financing and capacity-building needs to implement the National Blue Strategy.

The discussions were complemented by IGAD’s recent case study “Opportunities in Inland Waterways Transport: The Case Study of South Sudan”, which outlines how river transport can serve as a driver of trade, connectivity, and livelihoods. These deliberations also aligned with the South Sudan–Djibouti agreement signed in August 2025, which seeks to establish a multimodal transit corridor along the White Nile River and develop multiple dry and river ports, diversifying export routes and boosting regional integration.

In his closing remarks, Mr Zubair Taban Zakayo, Director General for River Transport of South Sudan, highlighted the strategic significance of these efforts: “South Sudan’s inland waterways are not only a lifeline for communities, but also an untapped engine for trade, connectivity, and prosperity. By institutionalising the Blue Economy, we can transform these opportunities into tangible development outcomes.”

The workshop concluded with a commitment to operationalise the National Blue Economy Coordination Platform and embed Blue Economy priorities into South Sudan’s national agenda, reinforcing IGAD’s wider mission of fostering sustainable growth, resilience, and regional integration.

Source: https://igad.int/building-stronger-pathways-for-south-sudans-blue-economy/