The Boards of Directors of the African Development Bank Group, on 8 December, approved an addendum to the South Sudan Climate Resilient Sanitation and Institutional Support Project.
Originally approved on 20 November 2024, the project's $11 million grant funding will now be sourced from the African Development Fund's Transition Support Facility.
Currently, poor sanitation contributes to waterborne illness, pollution of rivers, and unsafe living conditions, especially in densely populated neighbourhoods.
The project will upgrade and expand faecal sludge treatment capacity in South Sudan's capital Juba and strengthen its waste management systems. The construction of new sanitation facilities will serve communities in high-density neighbourhoods, including Munuki and Kator. These upgrades are expected to benefit tens of thousands of residents in the form of cleaner surroundings, safer water sources, better public health outcomes and reduced health costs.
The improvements will also reduce frequency of flood risks and environmental stress from contaminated land and water.
Public agencies responsible for sanitation will receive training, equipment, and technical assistance to help them plan, operate and maintain sanitation services more effectively.
The program will also have knock on effects beyond the city. Nearby farmers will benefit from safer reuse of treated waste products. Youth will gain skills through internships and training linked to the project. Construction and system operations will spur job opportunities.
"This project will deliver measurable change for people in Juba by improving sanitation for thousands of households, reducing the spread of disease, and creating safer living conditions in some of the city's most vulnerable communities," said the African Development Bank's outgoing South Sudan country manager, Themba Bhebhe. "By strengthening local institutions, the project will deliver real improvements for families in Juba, building the capacities required to better serve its citizens."
The project is aligned with the Bank's South Sudan Country Strategy Paper, which emphasises investment in essential infrastructure and support to core state institutions, as well as the recently approved South Sudan Development Plan 2026-2036.
