Filth at Nile River bank|photo by Charles Wote| 18-06-2024

The government and IGAD have launched a plastic cleaning campaign at the river bank in Juba to safeguard the Nile River against pollution and protect the aquatic ecosystem.

In March last year, South Sudan validated and adopted the IGAD Blue Economy Strategy 2023 – 2027, committing to developing fisheries, wetlands, biodiversity, and wildlife conservation.

The government is also committed to developing clean energy, tourism, streams, rivers, trade, industry, and the mining sector, as well as ensuring sustainable water source management.

As part of the strategy, the government, through the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries – the focal Ministry of the IGAD Blue Economy project in South Sudan, on Tuesday launched a campaign against river pollution.

Speaking during the launch on Tuesday, the Minister of Livestock and Fisheries said the growing number of city dwellers has increased the waste generation.

“It is a growing city of about 1.8 million inhabitants. Plastic waste from the consumption of the population contributes negatively to general sanitation due to excessive waste generation.

Onyoti Adigo adds that the production and importation of single-use plastic beverages and water bottling are alarming.

“Production and import of single-use plastic beverage and water bottling including shopping bags are alarming,” he added.

Minister Onyoti urged the Mayor of Juba City, Council to enforce the cabinet resolutions and directives from the Ministry of Environment that prohibit the use of single-use plastic bags.

“We call upon the town mayor to implement the resolution of the National Council of Ministers and the Ministerial order of the Honourable Minister of Environment banning the use of plastic bags in the country.”

On her part, the Mayor of Juba City Council admits to the random dumping of waste by the residents.

Flora Gabriel Modi said her administration is going to enforce laws that will prohibit the use of single-use plastics in the city.

“There are laws already there and we are going to put it into effect,” she said.

According to the IGAD, the massive consumption of a wide range of plastic products has generated a huge amount of plastic waste in the region including South Sudan.

During the event, officials from the government, diplomatic corps and some residents of Gabaat in Juba descended to the Nile River Banks and began a cleaning campaign against plastic pollution.

So far, IGAD with support from the government of Sweden is implementing a project called “Enhancing Blue Economy in the IGAD Member States for Biodiversity Conversations and Livelihood Diversification”.

It focuses on improving the health of marine and aquatic ecosystems in the region.

David Kwaje, head of IGAD Mission in South Sudan said; “Plastics destroy habitats, they choke aquatic animals, facilitate the transportation of invasive species into the water bodies among other disadvantages,” adding that “When consumed by these animals, plastics can have both physical and chemical impacts in our bodies.”

The InfoNile, a cross-border group of journalists, reports that water pollution by plastics and other substances is another challenge threatening the health of aquatic animals in South Sudan, including fish.

The group said plastic materials continue to increase in Juba, which is located along the Nile River, the world’s longest river whose basin flows through 11 countries in eastern Africa.

It adds that the country’s garbage management system cannot preserve the environment; therefore, most of the materials produced by hotels, markets, households and health facilities are poorly dumped and end up flowing into the river.