South Sudan, World Bank ink deal to fund development projects

Jan 7, 2005 (JUBA) — Vice – President of South Sudan Government, Riek Machar, announced the signing of an agreement with the World Bank, which is directing the donors to fund implementation of development projects in south Sudan.

This agreement comes in accordance with the recommendations of Oslo Conference toward support to the peace process in Sudan.

Machar said that the first agreement with the World Bank was signed in last November for purchasing medicines and school materials which, at the value of 32 million dollars, saying that the South Government assigned five million dollars in this regard, while the donors extended 18 million dollars.

He pointed out that an agreement was signed in last December to implement rehabilitation programmes in Juba city, that includes buildings, water, sewage system, roads and highways at the cost 150 million dollars from the donors fund.

He said that the South Government asked the donors to support the telecommunication network for the states through Gissan area.

Machar said that his government tries during the coming period to implement agreements which relates to agriculture, considering that the southern community is an agricultural one, besides roads projects and other infrastructural programmes

(ST)