Radio Miraya
2668: Miraya Breakfast Show: Juba Nile Bridge marks 50th anniversary!
I am glad to tell you that now our guests are here with us and as we continue we will be talking to them and hear more about these conversations particularly the good news and something that is worth celebrating is the Juba Bridge, this year Juba Nile Bridge marks 50 years now the anniversary marks the kingdom of the Netherlands long standing bilateral relationship with the people of South Sudan that started long before its independence as the bridge was in a great part financed and constructed by the kingdom of the Netherlands. Now until 2022 this bridge served as the vital line for the people of South Sudan as the only means of crossing over the Nile yet no longer the only crossing point it remains a symbol of unity and a historic landmark for South Sudan. Now the celebration of this historic landmark is under the theme we celebrate our long standing cooperation but also reflect on where we came from and where we are hating now for this special occasion I'm glad to tell you that here with me in the studio the kingdom of the Netherlands Vice Minister for International Trade and Development, Excellency Pascal joins me in the studio and also we are glad to have ambassador of the kingdom of the Netherlands in South Sudan, Maajan Cipas if I pronounce that name correctly good morning to you and you both welcome to the Mirea breakfast you're good to have you. Good morning good morning welcome welcome it's good to have you first of all let's just briefly first talk to the director general for international co-op who is a visitor to us here in South Sudan you're most welcome and how is Juba for you this morning? It's very hot to be honest I think I arrived in a very hot time I'm here for a three day visit and the embassy is super kind to organize meetings with government officials with young people with NGOs and a visit to Malachal yesterday and today of course the bridge. That's great welcome it's good to have you in the program and ambassador good morning to you and welcome to the Mirea breakfast studios for let's begin with the juvenile bridge marks it's 50th anniversary this year but it is more than just endurance what is the background story and why is this so vital yes thank you very much yes it is really vital because after the civil war had ended in 1972 there were a lot of refugees and there was a very they were very much in need of assistance but one of the bottlenecks was that there was no bridge over the river Nile south of Khartoum and so the UNHCR came to the Netherlands and they asked if we could assist with providing a bridge and that is the history of the bridge here in in the southern part of Sudan and now south Sudan great and the celebration of this historic landmark is under the theme we celebrate our long standing cooperation but also reflect on where we came from and where we are heading can we briefly reflect on where we are heading a bus yes thank you the theme is actually building bridges so it's looking back at our cooperation in the past at the present and in the future the Netherlands is a big donor on the humanitarian side and on the development side we were one of the first countries to recognize south Sudan after it gained independence and every year we pledge almost 100 million euros into south Sudan it's for us it's a really important relationship and where we are coming from it was it was a lot humanitarian support and that's why it was so good to yesterday also go to Malachal to see with our partner UNHCR and civic organizations working on children what they are doing in practice and how the situation is and when we are where we are heading I think it's more focusing on young people the we have several programs on giving young people skills to find employment to to get better at life it's about life skills it's about becoming an entrepreneur or chasing your dreams so for me supporting those programs of young people well we have a beautiful program at the embassy it's called orange corners where we support young people into those skills and and getting them ready to start a small business or to become a hairdresser or to know how to get finances and to start their own shop or their own enterprise we work together with UNDP also with life skills so I met a great group of people who did several courses and now have their own little companies as a painter or a hairdresser or actually working on solar energy and they give back to the community as well so the people who had the opportunity to get certificates and education they are giving it back to their nieces their nephews their cousins in the community so I think it's it's really important to invest in young people to get opportunities that sounds great now let's talk briefly before we come back to the bridge let's talk briefly about your visit to malachal yesterday just what was your impression of the place as you arrived in malachal festival it's a it's a big question I was deeply impressed by the work of both actually all the parties so it's the UNATR it's IOM it's NGOs like Plum International or War Child together with the governor we met the acting governor I think the stability is there which is really important people are working or the organizations are working on livelihoods on on sustainable livelihoods on temporary houses but it's it's the situation from Sudan coming into malachal you can see the the consequences definitely but I think all parties are working together to achieve stability to work on peace building and also in providing livelihoods and with this visit of you as just you already saw the the situation on the ground by by yourself as information of course how will that change your approach to the humanitarian assistance that you offer to the people of South Sudan and particularly to going towards in Afanil well we're a big donor so we are a big supporter of several humanitarian funds there will be a big conference on Monday in Brussels so for me it's really good actually to be here and then on Monday go to Brussels to talk about humanitarian situations I will definitely plea for more support but also more awareness of the situation in South Sudan and the consequences of the situation in Sudan on South Sudan thank you embossed I will get back to you now ambassador just briefly the juvenile bridge stands as a symbol of unity and hope as well it is also a landmark of the Netherlands support to the people of South Sudan and also how will you describe your collaboration with South Sudan so far now as the vice minister just said we have a long standing relationship and we innovate in that relationship we have been in in food security we have been in water management but also in rule of law and reconciliation and peace building ever since we got here and I think that signifies that we work very closely with the people of South Sudan yes we all have good relations also with the government they're very important because they have to provide for the people of South Sudan but this is the real true cooperation that we have between our two countries yes and the commemoration of this particular 50 years of juvenile bridge is today could you please share for us the event what will be taking place today so well as as we said we already actually started to celebrate we have spoken with many of the government officials and and presented some historical material we will continue to do so today today I think it's a big landmark event at the bridge itself we will be there to commemorate 50 years of Juba bridge and then in the afternoon we will celebrate it with all our partners at the embassy to to mark our cooperation and and the Juba bridge great yes and vice minister 50 years ago this is a very very long time and the bridge is still serving the people of South Sudan of course but with time of course with with time to design and all that you know probably it's a little old is there a plan to help more into making it more of a modern bridge than it is ambassador you want to answer that question please yeah the fact that we celebrate this building bridges is not about physically building bridges anymore actually this was a temporary Bailey bridge it was not meant to last that long so actually we think that South Sudan should build its own bridges and our partners the Japanese have built the new bridge and I think that is the way ahead so yes I hope that South Sudan will keep this bridge as a part of their history that they will maintain it and we will be helping to preserve the this as a history landmark for the peace inside so thank you yes and vice minister besides today's program of course of the bridge and your visit to Malakar greater up and I'll state you also met with some relevant stakeholders in South Sudan tell us about your meetings and what are your expectations I had meetings with the UN with NGOs with other donors and with government officials and we spoke about the situation in in the country we spoke also about economic situation we spoke about the importance of elections so yes I think the three day visit gave me a really clear view in the situation in South Sudan yes and and as you have a clear view of the situation in South Sudan you did mention about talking about elections the economic situation you went to Malakar you saw the humanitarian situation and with the conflict and the crisis of course in Sudan making more and more humanitarian needs what are your humanitarian plans for South Sudan in the next let's say you know a few years probably these towards the end of the year next year what what what us being one of the biggest donors what are your plans well the plans are to continue in the way that we are doing so a hundred million is I think one of the biggest programs we have as the Netherlands and a big part of that is for the humanitarian cause looking at the situation and maybe spilling a little bit but we will pledge more on Monday but I think my ministers should do that so it's a bit difficult but there's a there's a new amount coming we see the urgency and I think it's really important also to raise awareness about the situation in in both Sudan and South Sudan also in the European newspaper so that's what I'm intending to do as well as the saying goes about you know saying if you give someone fish you will eat just that day but if you yes tell them to you know be able to train them how to catch the fish and then we'll be able to feed themselves you know every day yes how is neverland and your government trying to have the South Sudanese people to be able to actually feed themselves and not only been waiting for the don't the 100 million euros million euros that you'll have to provide for them yeah no I totally agree with that saying actually and as I said a part is for our cooperation is meant for relief the humanitarian side because it's needed and those people have nothing I mean we need to support them coming from Sudan or internally displaced displaced but the bigger chunk of the support we give is in sustainable development it's in providing agriculture in providing water management in relief after the flood so that people can go back to their land and grow crops or have their cattle it's about having a young generation that needs to be skilled in order to to have economic activities that's why I mentioned investing in you so much I think it's super important and also investing in women if you don't invest in half of the population it's kind of silly so we need to invest and I think the ambassador and the team are doing a great job in investing in young people investing in women to achieve the potential the South Sudan has so for me the development part I hope at one point the humanitarian part is not needed anymore because South Sudan can supply for themselves they can even become a bread basket for the rest of the region because I think the agricultural land is really good so for me it's not about providing the fish it's about how you get the fish absolutely and in the meantime we provide the fish yes and and the question now is as with the donor fatigue all over the world is going through a lot of crisis now Sudan we just had here in Africa in the rest in Europe as well Ukraine, Russia war and all that that needed support what keep you providing the fish for South Sudan I mean why what what is the motivation factor what and South Sudan has been having all this time that you've been providing with donor fatigue how long can you still keep providing for South Sudan that's a very good question I think we can be providing for South Sudan as long as South Sudan is also achieving results on stability on peace building on working towards economic development for the young people for the women that I was talking about so it's I think it's a two-way street we can keep supporting South Sudan and other countries because we had such a long history even before it gained its independence so there's a big moral obligation to do so but I think we also need to see results at one point yes so it's going both ways thank you now two issues right now really topics that people talk about in South Sudan like every corner you go to one is the economic situation everybody is complaining about the economic situation in the country even people in big offices they can still feel the economic situation and two is about the elections that everyone is talking about as well you had a conversation with stakeholders on these two issues as well what is your thought and your impression right after you have this conversation about both the economic situation and the elections in the country well I think it's that is a very good question as you know and was already mentioned the government has to step up they know exactly what to do to have free fair incredible elections and I think it's very important that they get together and that was also our message and make decisions and communicate with the public what their intentions are I think that is vital and so that is a very important message that we have the government knows what to do they have their own roadmap they have the UN has very well laid out what is needed to hold these elections and these are the discussions that we are having on the economic situation I first want to say how much we understand and feel with the population of South Sudan that they are suffering and we are of course not in the economic steering of the of this this of South Sudan and I know that it is a but it is a very very vital also there that the government takes up the responsibility to steer the economy in a way that is beneficial for the people of South Sudan. Thank you thank you so much yes Vice Minister just before we let you go any final remarks and messages that you like to send on your visit and of course as you conclude your visit here before you go. Thank you maybe my takeaway and I mentioned it on the event on two days ago as well about the bridge all the people I met are resilient despite the economic crisis despite not knowing when the elections are taking place I feel a really big energy sorry and a thrive to develop so I'm really impressed and I think for me it was super important to be here also to visit Malikal and see the work that's been doing but also the consequences of the crisis in Sudan on South Sudan and I will definitely spread that message when I go back but I'm really really impressed. Thank you Ambassador your final remarks please. Well with all with the situation as it is I'm really glad that we have today to celebrate the landmark of 50 years of Juba Bridge. I hope the people in South Sudan and here in Juba will learn that is a symbol also of the relationship and friendship with the Netherlands. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much for coming to military studios. I'm Ambassador Majan and Director General for International Cooperation Pascal. We do appreciate your time. Thank you. Thank you.