August 14, 2019
South Sudan is the world's newest country, having become independent of Sudan in 2011. However, chaos and confrontation continued after its independence, with major clashes breaking out in 2013 and 2016. A third of South Sudan's population are still displaced either within or outside the country. Because of prolonged confrontation and insecurity for more than half a century, many citizens have seldom seen a state of peace.
JICA established an office in Juba, the capital, immediately after South Sudan gained its independence, and it has been extending its cooperation to build up the country ever since. Whenever the security situation worsened, JICA's Japanese staff was forced to leave the country, but JICA has persistently supported the development of South Sudan, including during such periods of remote assistance.
After two years of remote assistance from the neighboring country of Uganda, JICA's Japanese staff finally returned to South Sudan in August 2018 and resumed full-scale assistance. The priority areas for cooperation are 1. improvement of the basic economy and social infrastructure, 2. development of alternative industries (agriculture development and food security), 3. improvement of basic living and livelihood and 4. strengthening governance and security.
Juba, the capital of South Sudan. After two major clashes in 2013 and 2016, respectively, the city is in the process of getting back to a peaceful state.
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