Travelers between Bentiu and Leer have commended the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for repairing the major roads in the country’s Northern and Southern Liech areas, as they look forward to improved travel between the two towns and better access to basic services.

Indian engineers serving with UNMISS launched rehabilitation work on the main road linking Bentiu and Leer, whose poor condition had made it impassable for the past three years.

The peacekeepers will renovate the approximately a hundred-and-forty-five-kilometre road, hoping this will help to ease travel and delivery of humanitarian assistance.

“It is good news to hear that the United Nations is repairing the road that links Bentiu and Leer,” said Nyayang Malual, a woman who has used the road in the past, adding, “It is great for us the people who are suffering in remote villages without road access.”

Poor roads in the area have been a huge issue of concern for women who walk long distances to find food, with reports indicating that such roads contribute to cases of sexual violence.

“The repair to the road is good for us the mothers because we will move freely, and we will get food easily for our children,” said Nyayag, concluding, “We will be able to come to the town and get back into village safely.”

Another traveler says the road would help humanitarian organizations to deliver humanitarian aid to the suffering communities in Southern Unity.

“The construction of the road between Bentiu and Leer will enable us to receive humanitarian assistance from humanitarian partners,” said John Wich Thiep, another resident of the area. “Now we are not able to get food because of the poor condition of the road,” he lamented.

John also sees economic opportunities in the road repairs.

“With this road, we will be able to do our business and get commodities from major towns like Bentiu and Rubkona. The road connection will change our lives completely,” he said.

The Indian contingent chief of logistics, Major Lomesh Sirohi also acknowledges the 145km stretch is a vital passageway for peacekeeping, besides humanitarian aid delivery.

“The Bentiu - Leer main supply route had been closed for the last three years. We did an assessment and found that there was need to repair this road. This is one of the most important main supply routes connecting the main towns of Leer to Bentiu,” he noted, adding, “Humanitarian assistance can be executed in a better way, and the road also will facilitate the work of the UN.”

UNMISS Head of Field Office in Bentiu, Hiroko Hirahara recalled how much things had changed along the road since she arrived in Bentiu, and how the road repair would enable the mission to carry out its activities.

“When I came to Bentiu in 2016, I went to Leer for the first time by road. I left around 9 o’clock in the morning and came back around 5pm by road.  Since that time, we have not been able to go down to Leer by road,” she said, concluding, “So, this work is very significant.”

The repair work is a collaborative peacekeeping operation by two UN troop contributing countries, as the Indian engineers will have their security and protection provided by Ghanaian peacekeepers while they carry out the repairs.