South Sudan
Policy snapshots, In-depth policy analysis, Policy status updates, and Legal insights for Citizens, Policymakers, Researchers, Development Professionals, Infrastructure Development Enthusiasts.
The Infrastructure Action Plan (IAP) for South Sudan is the outcome of an extensive dialogue between the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (GRSS), development partners and other key stakeholders, including the private sector. The key objective of the proposed infrastructure plan is to rehabilitate, upgrade and expand the basic infrastructure network of the country.
The IAP is built around the following five (5) basic objectives for the country:
- Development of the water resources of the country in a manner that is consistent with the objectives of the Nile Basin Initiative for cooperative and sustainable use of the water resources of the ten riparian countries of the Nile Basin.
- Sustainable utilisation of the vast natural resources which include land, forestry and fisheries.
- Increased access to basic services, including water and sanitation, electric power, transport and communication in the country.
- Rehabilitate, upgrade and expand the county’s basic infrastructure to ensure that the network provides land-locked South Sudan with reliable and cost effective access to regional and international markets.
- Working with the international donor community and private investors, the Government will use a portion of petroleum revenues to fund the development of a network of basic infrastructure that will provide direct benefits for the existing population and future generations in South Sudan.
The components of the infrastructure plan cuts across different infrastructure sectors (Transportation, Energy, Water & Sanitation and ICT) which are as follows:
- Rehabilitate the existing road network and upgrade the national network to provide all-weather access and transport services to major regional and international markets and among the ten state capitals of the country
- Upgrade and improve basic infrastructure for other modes of transport, in particular water transport and associated port facilities on the Nile River
- Upgrade civil aviation services for domestic and international traffic
- Substantially increase the power generation capacity within all ten states, starting with a major investment in diesel generation, alongside significant investments in the development of a national transmission and distribution grid.
- Rehabilitate and expand water and sanitation infrastructure in urban and rural areas to ensure that a majority of the population has access to improved water and sanitation services by 2020.
- Develop a national communications grid for ICT, which will be based on a fibre optic network linked to the submarine cable along the eastern seaboard of Africa.
As at 2010, the total estimated cost of delivering infrastructure under this Plan was $13.8 billion. A high priority was placed on the development of a national road network along with reliable connections to neighbouring countries and international ports, and a much expanded rural road network that gives a majority of rural dwellers improved access to services and markets. The total cost of the proposed roads programme is $6.3 billion which made up 45% of the entire infrastructure programme. An investment of $2.3 billion was proposed towards developing a national electric power network that will provide urban areas and the business community with affordable access to a reliable supply of electricity. Another major infrastructure investment programme is water supply and sanitation, the total cost of which is estimated at $1.9 billion.
The plan proposed that the Government provides $7.13 billion – a little more than half of the total funding required for full implementation of the programme, with the donor community providing $3.75 billion and private investors the balance of $2.9 billion.
Some of the key reform areas identified under the GAP 2021 – 2026 are:
- Reorganisation of the road maintenance system
- Creation of a Port Information System
- Establishing an electricity transport operator
- Establishing an instrument for financing renewable energy
- Restructuring of CONTRELEC (Electrical Installations Control Agency)
- Inauguration of a protocol for energy efficiency and energy security in public buildings and installations
- Restructuring the National Water Company of Benin (SONEB)
- Introduction of low price hookups and digitisation of customer services in urban environments
- Operationalisation of professionalised management of the drinkable water service in rural environments
- Establishment of guiding plans for development of water resources and the National Agency for Dams and Drainage Basins.
The key reforms under the Plan are:
Transportation
- rehabilitate and upgrade of the entire 7,369 km of inter-state trunk roads
- upgrade of the existing 1,451 km of state primary roads to all-weather standard
- upgrade of the existing 3,822 km of secondary roads to all-weather standard
- upgrade of 2,178 km of tertiary roads to all-weather standard
- pave an additional 440 km of urban roads and upgrade 300 km to all-weather standard; strengthen financial and institutional capacities for regular maintenance of the road network and oversight of the road transport industry
- develop urban transport services
- implement a comprehensive programme for road safety
- upgrade the capacities of existing river ports and associated cargo handling and storage facilities
- establish arrangements for management and operation of rail services in South Sudan
- undertake a detailed inventory of the existing track and signalling system
- carry out an assessment of potential demand for traffic on the existing 248 km rail line from the border with Sudan to Wau and prospective traffic for the proposed extension of the line from Wau to Nimule on the border with Uganda
- rehabilitate the existing line to Wau
- carry out a detailed feasibility study for the proposed extension from Wau to Nimule
- complete the ongoing upgrade of the Juba domestic and international airport
- upgrade selected airports in the state capitals and other locations
- implement a major programme of staff development and capacity building consistent with the requirements for compliance with ICAO standards and recommended practices
- develop an appropriate Public Private Partnership (PPP) type framework for possible concession agreements with private investors to operate selected airports in South Sudan.
Energy
- undertake a major programme of expansion of the generation capacity from the current 50 MW to about 580 MW by 2025 in order to meet the current and projected power demand
- expand the national transmission and distribution grid to link all ten state capitals and to the grids of Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda
- increase urban households access to electricity from the current 5% to 75% by 2025
- complete a major restructuring of the South Sudan Electricity Corporation (SSEC) and convert it into a fully fledged, and financially sound, state enterprise with the capacity to enter into take-or-pay contracts with private electric power suppliers
- strengthen the enabling environment for private investment in power generation and attract private investors to operate as Independent Power Producers (IPPs) within South Sudan
- strengthen the existing regulatory arrangements for the electric power sector.
ICT
- establish access to the global communication network of submarine cables
- build a national fibre optic broadband network that is linked to the global network
- improve and expand access to communications throughout South Sudan, including rural communities by implementing the universal access policy
- promote competition among service providers to ensure that costs of service delivery are not inflate
- consolidate arrangements for regulation and oversight of the industry
- expand the range of E-applications that are available to the educational and other institutions and the population at large.
Water & Sanitation
- rehabilitate very large number of rural water points that are not currently functional, and construction of about 11,000 new water points to provide 65% of rural residents with access to improved water by 2020
- rehabilitate and construct new urban water supply facilities and increase water access from the current 15% to 70% by 2020
- provide technical support and training that will strengthen capacities to provide water services at the national, state and county levels
- rehabilitate most of the existing urban and rural sanitation facilities
- construct new facilities in urban and rural areas sufficient to provide 60% of urban households and 40% of rural households with access to improved sanitation by 2020, thereby raising the national average sanitation access levels from a current low of 14% to 45% by 2020
- implement a series of reforms that will strengthen coordination and implementation and expand funding of the sanitation programmes
- provide improved sanitation facilities for all health care centres and schools
- develop hygiene education programs for urban and rural communities and introduce similar programs into school curricula.
The South Sudan Development Plan places considerable emphasis on the importance of private sector participation in the provision of infrastructure services. If well implemented, the social and economic benefits of the IAP include lower cost of infrastructure services, improved access to markets and business opportunities.
Commentary
The South Sudan Infrastructure Action Plan is adequate in its scope and addresses critical infrastructure needs that could facilitate economic growth and citizen welfare. The plan includes quantifiable metrics for monitoring reforms across each infrastructure sector. Given the country’s landlocked nature, the focus on transportation, particularly roads, is highly relevant and necessary for trade and accessibility.. The proposed reliance on petroleum revenue and private sector investment is practical; however explicit provisions for oversight and financial transparency could strengthen investor confidence and ensure sustained funding. Additionally, the emphasis on private sector participation could yield efficient service delivery, but there should be safeguards to avoid excessive privatisation, which may limit equitable access for low-income communities.