March 19th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – The Japanese ambassador to South Sudan, Mr. Seiji Okada, said on Monday that the construction of the Freedom Bridge in the country’s capital Juba will be completed and would be finally handed over to South Sudan’s government by 2021.
According to Okada, the government of Japan has pledged an additional $28 million for the completion of Freedom Bridge whose construction was suspended across the Nile river in Juba in 2016.
Speaking during a memo signing ceremony on Monday in Juba with the South Sudan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nhial Deng Nhial, the Japanese diplomat said the support by the Japanese government toward South Sudan is for the betterment of future relationships between the two nations.
“These projects of constructing the bridge and water are our investments from Japan to South Sudan for the future promotion and strengthening of economic relations between the two countries,” he said.
“The whole goal is bringing economic prosperity to South Sudan so that in future the government of Japan can take measures to bringing their investments. This is very important and it is a win-win situation for both South Sudan and Japan,” he added.
Foreign Minister, Nhial Deng further praised efforts by the Japanese government to see South Sudan “stand on its own feet.
“We remain profoundly grateful to Japan for these types of projects that are untimely designed to help win South Sudan off external dependency and lock its own huge potential,” Nhial said.
