(MALAKAL) – River transport between Malakal and Juba is expected to resume within a week, according to officials in Upper Nile State. The route is a vital link for goods and services in northern South Sudan and has been closed for several months due to widespread insecurity and unofficial tax checkpoints.
Upper Nile State Minister of Information, Peter Ngwojo, said both state and national authorities have reached an agreement to restore navigation on the Nile River to ease trade disruptions that have led to economic stagnation in Malakal.
Ngwojo told Radio Miraya that further efforts are also being made to reopen river routes from Malakal to Nasir and Bir-Abyei, near the Ethiopian border.
Ngwojo emphasised the importance of river transport, especially during the rainy season when roads become impassable. He said the government is working urgently to avoid worsening shortages in Malakal and surrounding regions.
The effects of the river closure have been deeply felt in neighbouring Unity State. The Chairperson of the Trade Union in Unity State, Tharel Kuayith, said markets are running low on supplies and prices for basic goods have soared. He noted that the heavy rains and insecurity have cut off most routes, leaving Unity State isolated.
Kuayith said river transport stopped in May when traders were forced to abandon boats due to insecurity along the Nile.
“Traders tried using the Juba–Wau road, but the rains last month made it completely impassable,” he said. “Now trucks are stuck, and life in Bentiu is becoming unbearable.”
He highlighted current prices of essential items, showing how the closure has triggered extreme inflation:
| Item | Price (SSP) | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar (50kg) | 600,000 | $130.43 |
| Wheat Flour | 550,000 | $119.57 |
| Maize Flour | 450,000 | $97.83 |
Kuayith warned that the region is facing a humanitarian crisis, with food stocks dwindling and no new shipments arriving.
The South Sudan Boats Union has also raised concerns, calling for government action to restore safe river navigation. Boats Union Chairperson, Moses Duom Dier, said over a dozen commercial boats remain stranded at Bor Port due to insecurity along the river, leading to heavy financial losses for traders and worsening living conditions for people in Upper Nile.
Dier stressed that the boats are loaded with essential goods but cannot proceed without security escorts.
“People in Upper Nile are in need, and traders are suffering,” he said. “If the government is serious about its citizens, it must provide security to allow boats to reach Malakal.”
He added that the current situation is not only affecting trade but also worsening food insecurity in areas already vulnerable due to repeated flooding and poor road conditions.
The call for security escorts has gained urgency, as local traders and community leaders say delays in river transport restoration will lead to further food shortages, inflated prices and social unrest in affected regions.