A groundbreaking ceremony has been held to mark the beginning of a major project by Korean engineers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan to repair the main road from Bor to Mangalla in the conflict-affected Jonglei region.

The 125-kilometre roading network is the only route connecting the town of Bor to the country’s capital, Juba. It provides vital access for local motorists as well as humanitarian agencies providing assistance and traders transporting products to communities across the Jonglei region.

The repair work by the engineering contingent from the Republic of Korea, led by Colonel Deog Sang Ahn, is expected to reduce travel time on the road to a maximum of five hours for heavy trucks and much less for light vehicles compared to the current situation where it can take several days to get from Bor to Juba.

At a ceremony marking the beginning of the project, local authorities expressed their gratitude for the efforts of the UNMISS peacekeepers.

The Governor of Jonglei, Philip Aguer Panyang, said the Korean contingent had already done a great deal of work to improve roads and other infrastructure in the area. Their fresh effort to repair a vital section of the main route would, not only, improve the economic situation in the area but also encourage development and improve security on the road, which has been plagued by ambushes carried out by armed groups.

The project will be carried out throughout the dry season and is expected to be completed in mid-January.