Juba launches first air traffic management system, ending reliance on Khartoum
May 19, Juba— South Sudan on Monday inaugurated its first national air traffic management (ATM) system, ending more than a decade of dependence on Sudan to oversee its airspace and marking what officials described as a historic milestone in the country’s sovereignty.
President Salva Kiir Mayardit formally launched the system at a ceremony held at Juba International Airport, where a new control tower now serves as the operational hub for monitoring and regulating all air traffic within South Sudanese airspace.
“This is a moment of pride for every South Sudanese,” Kiir said at the inauguration. “We have finally reclaimed full control over our airspace.”
Since South Sudan’s independence in 2011, Sudan had continued to manage its airspace under arrangements inherited from when the two countries were one. The new system formally ends that arrangement, allowing Juba to independently oversee flight movements and collect air navigation fees.
Officials said the system comprises six advanced radars — three primary and three secondary — giving it one of the most sophisticated air traffic management configurations on the continent, with radar coverage extending beyond several neighbouring countries including Kenya.
More than 80 South Sudanese technicians and controllers were trained to operate the system by Chinese experts as part of a broader effort to build national capacity across the aviation sector.
The African Civil Aviation Commission described the project as a significant step toward improving aviation safety, regional coordination, and air transport connectivity at both the regional and continental levels.
The ATM project was launched in July 2020 and completed in December 2023 by the China Harbour Engineering Company. In April 2024, President Kiir had signalled that full airspace control was imminent, noting it would allow the country to register airlines and collect sovereign fees.
South Sudan has also taken initial steps to develop its own domestic aviation sector, with the launch of South Supreme Airlines as the country’s first national carrier, connecting Juba to several major cities.
Adut Salva Kiir Mayardit, the presidential special envoy for programmes, was honoured at the ceremony for his role in supporting the project from its early stages through to completion.