The Government of Japan has contributed US$2.5 million to the UNHCR and the UN Refugee Agency for a new project aimed at enhancing climate and flood resilience in vulnerable communities across South Sudan.
Announced in a press conference, Tuesday the funding arrives as the country grapples with the severe impacts of climate change, with more than 1.4 million people affected by floods and other climate shocks last year alone.
The project, titled ‘Enhancing Resilience against Floods in Vulnerable Communities in the Bahr el Ghazal Region,’ is a collaboration with the World Food Programme.
It will benefit 26,000 people in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap States, including 20,000 refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and returnees, as well as 6,000 members of local host communities.
These regions have been among the hardest hit by flooding, which displaced over 106,000 people in 2024.
According to UNHCR the initiative focuses on providing communities with practical tools to withstand and recover from climate shocks.
This includes; Installing flood early warning systems to give communities a head start in preparing for rising waters, Constructing flood-resistant shelters and rehabilitating water points with solar-powered pumps and Establishing drip irrigation systems and planting 100,000 fruit and medicinal trees to boost nutrition, restore degraded land, and create new income opportunities.
Ambassador of Japan to South Sudan, Odagiri Toshio termed the project “more than just a financial investment; it is a commitment to building a stronger, more resilient South Sudan.”
UNHCR Representative Marie-Helene Verney added that the project will give communities the “means not only to cope with the next flood, but to adapt, recover and plan for the future.”
This collaboration underscores the importance of international solidarity in addressing the climate crisis and promoting sustainable development in South Sudan.