Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The government of Unity State has started the construction of a new road linking the state to the capital, Juba, to enable the movement of goods.
In an interview with The City Review last week, the state deputy governor, Tor Tungwar, said the alternative road was created after the war in Sudan blocked the main supply route to Bentiu.
“The state government has created a new road known as the Northern Road that will connect Unity State with the capital, Juba,” Tor said.
He said the road connecting Sudan to Unity State has been closed down after the war, which broke out on April 15.
“Sudan has been our supplier country for many humanitarian needs as well as business, but given the crisis, that road has become inactive,” he said.
Mr. Tungwar added that the government has been working to ensure Unity State is connected to Juba to avoid disruption of the supply of commodities.
He described the Northern Road as the lifeline for the people of Unity State, as most of the goods will come to market through this road.
According to him, prices have shot up as people continue to experience a shortage of goods due to poor roads.
Last year, the Unity State Ministry of Roads and Bridges revealed that the World Food Programme (WFP) started the rehabilitation of the road that links the state to Sudan to ease the movement of humanitarian assistance.
However, the clashes that broke out on April 15 between the army of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo have left most of the roads linking Sudan to other countries closed.
Unity State is one of the states in South Sudan that continues to receive returnees from Sudan. Currently, the number of returnees and refugees who have entered South Sudan is estimated by the UN agencies to be above 100,000.
The two leaders had committed to a 10-day-long truce brokered by the Saudi-American initiative in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The agreement was to allow the movement of humanitarian agencies to help the victims of war.
However, by yesterday, Reuters reported that the city had relapsed into full-blown violence, with dark smoke and buzzing sounds of gunshots taking it hostage.
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