In a colourful event, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan officially handed over a fish market, one of the mission’s 2015/2016 Quick Impact Project’s (QIP’s) benefiting the country.  The guest of honor, Philip Aguer, declared the market open and operational.

In his statement after cutting the ribbons to declare the fish market open, the Governor commended UNMISS for the initiative and expressed his appreciation while stating emphatically that the fish market is not only a place to buy and sell fish but also serves as a symbol of peace and good things to come on the basis that it is only possible to declare open the market because of peace in the state. In his exact words “This is a symbol of peace, because there has been peace, we are able to open it and it was possible to be started. We appreciate UNMISS for this and we appreciate the women, because without their creativity that they wanted to live by selling fish and by doing something meaningful to the community of Bor town, we would not have this”.

 The RRC Deputy Director in the Sate gave a description of the project, its intended purpose and beneficiaries while the Executive Director for the implementing partner Humanitarian Development consortium (HDC); Dr. Filbert Leone Ahmat expressed his appreciation to UNMISS for funding such an important project judging by the joy on the faces of the beneficiaries and community members present. While the UNMISS Head of Field Offices in Jonglei region, Ms. Deborah Schein in her remarks made it clear the project was made possible as part of the UNMISS mandate as part of creating enabling conditions to protect civilians while stressing that the quick impact project is aimed at improving the hygiene and sanitary conditions of the market, handling and storage towards an improvement in heath conditions of the community. Quoting her “In line with our UNMISS mandate of creating the conditions to enable the protection of all civilians, of all communities, the fish market project was designed to assist you, the fishing communities; you, the women; and everyone that enjoys a good fish dinner”.

Ms. Schein down the line in her remarks pointed out that a market should not only be a place to buy and sell food items and commodities but rather where people meet, socialize, communicate and coexist in peace and harmony while informing the citizenry present at the official handover of the presence of women and men of Nuer background from the UNMISS Bor Protection site with a hope that the market will be a hub for more of such interaction. In her very words “A market is not only a place to buy food but a place where people socialize, talk to each other and meet up with friends. This location, the Bor Main Docking Port is the main entry and exit point for greater Jonglei, and this market should become a hub of activity bringing together people of all ethnic backgrounds. Today, we have with us women and men from the UNMISS Bor protection site. It is my hope to see this as a normal occurrence, with all people moving about freely and safely.