(JUBA, CENTRAL EQUATORIA) – Central Equatoria State has entered into a formal housing development partnership with Ethiopia’s Federal Housing Corporation, a move that officials say will reshape Juba’s urban landscape and lay the groundwork for modern housing across South Sudan.
The Strategic Housing Development Agreement was signed in Juba and sets out plans for new housing projects, upgrades to infrastructure within the state capital, and technical cooperation between the two parties. Governor Emmanuel Adil described the agreement as a central part of a broader push to modernise Juba and speed up urban growth in the state.
Under the terms of the deal, Ethiopian experts will provide technical support and facilitate the transfer of skills and knowledge to local teams. The partnership is structured to move beyond simple construction, with the Federal Housing Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer, Rashad Kemal, stating that the focus will be on sustainable urban growth, fresh approaches to planning, and development that serves communities over the long run.
State officials said the housing projects would begin in Central Equatoria, with future phases expected to extend to other cities and towns across South Sudan. The arrival of Ethiopian technical teams is seen as a way to bring established building methods and urban design practices into Juba, where rapid population growth has placed heavy demand on housing and basic services.
The agreement comes at a time when South Sudan’s urban centres are under increasing pressure to accommodate a rising number of residents seeking better shelter, water access and electricity. Juba’s housing stock has struggled to keep pace, and state authorities view organised partnerships as the most practical path to closing the gap.
Central Equatoria’s leadership is positioning the deal as a signal to investors that the state is open for structured, long term partnerships in infrastructure. The choice of an Ethiopian state backed corporation reflects growing economic ties within the East African region, where cross border cooperation on housing, energy and transport has become more common.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed publicly. However, officials familiar with the discussions indicated that the arrangement includes both direct construction components and advisory services aimed at building the capacity of local housing institutions. A portion of the costs is expected to be met through Ethiopian technical grants, while the state government will allocate land and provide regulatory support.
For Juba residents, the partnership raises expectations of new neighbourhoods with improved road networks, drainage systems and utility connections. Past housing schemes in the city have often been held back by a lack of coordinated planning and limited technical expertise. The inclusion of Ethiopian specialists is intended to address those weaknesses directly by introducing building standards and project management practices tested in Addis Ababa and other Ethiopian cities.
The state government said further announcements on project locations, timelines and contractor selection would follow in the coming weeks. Early priority zones are believed to include areas where informal settlements have expanded rapidly and where state owned land is available for planned development.
While housing is the immediate focus, the agreement is also being viewed as a possible template for similar partnerships in other states. South Sudan’s national government has previously called for greater inter African cooperation on infrastructure, and the Central Equatoria deal may encourage other state administrations to pursue structured bilateral arrangements of their own.
According to the State Government Press Unit CESGPU, For now, attention remains on the practical steps ahead: surveying sites, mobilising teams and turning the signed agreement into foundations on the ground in Juba.