Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The British Ambassador to South Sudan, David Ashley, arrived in the Lakes State capital, Rumbek, on Tuesday on a three-day visit to evaluate peace, health, and education projects they support through Peace Canal and Peacebuilding Opportunities Fund (POF).
The envoy thanked the Government of Lakes State for the warm welcome accorded to him.
“It is my pleasure to be here in Rumbek. The United Kingdom has been one of the strongest supporters in South Sudan since before independence, and we particularly support South Sudan in areas of peace and in development, including education, health, and humanitarian affairs,” he said. “The main reason for being here in Lakes State is to see the work we have been supporting through Peace Canal and also to see the other work we are supporting in terms of education and health.”
“Clearly, we want to see a peaceful and thriving South Sudan, and traveling to Lakes State is a major part of that,” Amb. Ashley added.
Mary Aruon Gol, the area coordinator of Peace Canal in Lakes State, said she traveled with the envoy’s delegation from Juba, which included a team from POF and the management of Peace Canal, to evaluate projects that have been ongoing since 2020.
“The major purpose of their coming is to evaluate the activities and to see the achievements and challenges the greater Agar Community is facing, and also the gaps and the way forward,” she said. “We have an extension in Cueibet County, and they will also visit peace farms. The grassroots peace committee has been given 8 peace farms to find another way instead of raiding cattle from one another.”
For his part, Lakes State Cabinet Affairs Minister Stephen Mathiang Deng received and welcomed Amb. Ashley’s delegation, on behalf of Governor Rin Tueny, acknowledged their support for the state.
“We are happy to acknowledge your support towards peace in Lakes State, which is highly appreciated,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deborah Bilu, a citizen of Lakes State, said they were happy to receive the people who support peace in the state.
“We would like to stress that there is now peace in Lakes State, but there are challenges too. To maintain the peace, people need food and have to be healthy,” she said. “I would like to talk about the health sector because it is now the rainy season, and there is a lot of malaria due to stagnant water. If there is no intervention in terms of drugs, people will be sick and have no peace of mind.”
“I appreciate the work of the donors, and I would like to request your kind support for education,” Bilu added.
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