South Sudan’s health ministry on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to build health facilities across the country.
Dr. Makur Kariom, the ministry’s undersecretary, said the signed MoU symbolizes the beginning of partnership and cooperation between South Sudan government and the Chinese construction company.
“The MoU that we signed is mainly to work out the road map for implementation of the president’s pledges in the health sector, which amount to about 26 health facilities. These are pledges the president made during his tour of the country over the years,” said Makur.
He said the health minister Dr. Riek Gai finds it a national obligation and duty to implement projects, which the president has pledged.
“We hope in the coming weeks and months, we will see a technical proposal in place that will develop a way forward on how we should find a secure financing that will eventually lead to construction of the health facilities,” said Makur.
He further added, “We also hope other major infrastructural projects that will address the needs of the people will be implemented”.
Meanwhile, the Chinese representative Yang Yang said the signed MoU was a benchmark to closely work with the health ministry.
“We will develop a good technical proposal to the government, we will work closely with mutual benefits and understanding to deliver infrastructure to the people of South Sudan,” he said.
Last month, South Sudan’s government announced it had allocated 10,000 barrels of crude oil per day to Chinese firms to build its roads.
South Sudan’s economy is almost entirely dependent on export of oil. In January, some of its oilfields suspended due to the conflict reopened in Unity region.