(ABYEI) – The Abyei Special Administrative Area has restored the Awuolnhom Bridge and begun repairing damaged roads in a joint effort between the local administration and the Vietnamese engineering team serving under the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei. The restoration is expected to improve movement, trade, and humanitarian access across the area, which sits at a key point between South Sudan and Sudan.
The Awuolnhom Bridge has a ten metric ton capacity and links communities on both sides of the border. It was destroyed in 2011 during clashes between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, now the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, and the Sudan Armed Forces. The recent renovation follows an assessment carried out two weeks earlier.
Abyei Minister of Physical Infrastructure, Kon Manyiet Matiok, said several meetings were held to address the state of bridges and roads. He thanked Chief Administrator Charles Abyei Jok for supporting the process and engaging UNISFA leadership to secure technical assistance. The ministry provided nails and other materials needed for the work, and repairs were completed on Tuesday. Road works along the Abyei, Awuolnhom, and Kadhiang route are also under way.
The minister said the administration now plans to repair the Yura and Manyang Lor bridges. Surveys have also resumed as part of ongoing town planning activities, supported by the Danish Refugee Council.
He added that the ministry has expanded piped water services in Abyei Town and nearby counties, and that broken water yards will be repaired in the next dry season.
Abyei Administrative Area spokesperson Yuohna Akol confirmed the completion of several road works. He said the road linking Abyei, Akecnhial, and Aneet is now fully renovated and was funded as part of the government’s capital investment. He noted that the Vietnamese technical team supporting UNISFA repaired the Awuolnhom Bridge, which in the past was associated with many losses of life and property.
Akol said Ethiopian peacekeepers carried out a partial repair of the same bridge in 2012. He said the bridge remains a vital connection between the northern and southern parts of Abyei.
UNISFA and Abyei Team Up on Road Network Upgrade
| Infrastructure Item | Status | Key Partners |
|---|---|---|
| Awuolnhom Bridge | Repaired | UNISFA Vietnamese team, Abyei Infrastructure Ministry |
| Abyei – Awuolnhom – Kadhiang Road | Under rehabilitation | Abyei Administration, UNISFA |
| Abyei – Akecnhial – Aneet Road | Completed | Abyei Administration |
| Yura Bridge | Planned for repair | Abyei Administration |
| Manyang Lor Bridge | Planned for repair | Abyei Administration |
| Piped Water Network | Installed in Abyei Town and counties | Abyei Infrastructure Ministry |
| Water Yards | To be repaired in dry season | Abyei Infrastructure Ministry |