The NELSAP Regional Coordinator Eng. Elicad Elly Nyabeeya held a meeting with His Excellency Dr. James Wani Igga, the Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan in Juba on the Nyimur/ Limur multipurpose Water Resource Project. While delivering his remarks, the Regional Coordinator informed His Excellency the Vice President of the progress made so far on preparation of the trans-boundary Limur/Nyimur Multipurpose Water Resources Project feasibility studies. The project is being prepared in the framework of NBI/NELSAP, and NELSAP-CU is coordinating the process.
The project comprises of two dams with an irrigation command area of about 4,200 ha (1,150 ha in South Sudan and 3,080 ha in Uganda).
The Vice President was updated on the resource mobilization efforts for the project. He was informed that among others, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has expressed interest to finance the South Sudan side of the project while the World Bank has expressed interest to finance the Ugandan side.
In attendance at the meeting were Hon. Sophia Pal Gai, the Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation, Dr. Margaret Itto, the Deputy Governor of Torit State, Hon John Gatnyai Chairperson of the Water Resources and Irrigation Committee of the National Assembly, Hon. Eng. Langoya Tito Lazarus the Minister of Physical Infrastructure of Torit State, Eng. Alier Bullen Oka, the Undersecretary Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and Ambassador Michael Nyang the Nile Equatorial Lakes Technical Advisory Committee (NELTAC) Member from the South Sudan as well as representatives from the Acholi and Wadi Communities and the NELSAP-CU senior staff accompanying the Regional Coordinator. This meeting was held on 14th March 2019 at the Vice President’s Office.
The South Sudan Vice President (VP) was also informed of the other ongoing projects in South Sudan coordinated by NELSAP-CU. These includes the Uganda (Olwiyo) – South Sudan (Juba) Power Interconnection Project, the South Sudan – Ethiopia Power Interconnection and the Jebel Aweil Renk – Malakal Fisheries and Water Resources Project.
The meeting with the VP was preceded by a consultative meeting on the best way to fast track implementation of the project especially on the South Sudan side. NELSAP-CU shared progress of the feasibility studies, which encompassed the environmental social impact assessment and resettlement action plan, technical investigation into project viability, dam design and estimated project costs.