Juba-Torit-Nadapal highway. (-)

The construction of Juba-Torit-Nadapal highway which connects South Sudan to Kenya is set to begin at the end of this year with financial support from the World Bank, the government announced.

The Minister of Roads and Bridges Simon Mijok Mijak said the government and World Bank have mobilized the needed funding from multiple international financiers.

These include the African Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Saudi Sovereign Fund, and the Qatari Sovereign Fund, among others.

Mijak told state-owned television SSBC after a meeting of the Infrastructure Cluster that his institution is working to contract a consultant to review the road design.

“The World Bank has mobilized a lot of fund. The work is now in progress, and we are in the process of nominating a consultant to review the roads design,” he said.

South Sudan, a landlocked country depending on imports through the Juba-Nimule Road, is exploring alternative highways to other countries including Ethiopia and Kenya to diversify import routes amid shaky trade relations with Uganda.

In 2020, the government embarked on an oil-for-development project that it said would lead to smooth road networks linking Juba to Bor in Jonglei State and Juba to Rumbek and other parts of the country.

The Minister of Roads and Bridges also revealed in March 2024 that 13 major priority highways aimed at easing the transportation of people, goods, and services have been launched.

Simon Mijok Mijak said the Juba-Torit-Kapoeta-Nadapal, Juba-Yei-Kaya, Juba-Kajo-Keji, and Juba-Mundri-Yambio-Tambura-Wau highways were among the priorities.

Other roads identified as government priorities, according to Minister Mijok, are the Rumbek-Mayendit-Bentiu-Giau, the Mundri-Rumbek-Tonj-Wau, and Wau-Aweil highways.

This is in addition to the ongoing construction of the Juba–Bahr el Ghazal highway and the just completed Juba–Bor road.