Infrastructure

Transport and Communication

The Government and development partners are investing heavily to put in place the infrastructure to support private enterprise:

• More than 5000km of roads have been constructed or rehabilitated, with another 3500km targeted for completion in the near future
• New airport terminal in Juba to be completed by 3rd quarter 2011, and 5 regional airports are currently being rehabilitated
• 5 international telecom companies have established operations, bringing mobile coverage to 70% of the country
• 2 ports along the Nile are under construction, giving access to 1500km of navigable water

(For road and river practicability and seasonal conditions please refer to the United Nations Joint Logistics Center website for Sudan: http://www.logcluster.org/ops/sudan)

Telecommunications

There are 5 mobile phone carriers operating in Juba and these are: Gemtel, Vivacell, MTN, Mobitel (Zain), and Sudatel:

• MTN Group Limited (MTN Group): Cellular network access and business solutions.MTN operates in 21 countries in Africa and the Middle East. MTN's South Sudan network currently covers Juba, Wau, Warab, Rumbek, Malakal and Yirol West County (YWC) of Lakes state. Soon MTN will launch its network in Yei, Mundri, Bentiu, Maridi, Yambio and in other areas of South Sudan.
• Mobitel: Sudan's former state network, purchased by Kuwait based Zain in 2006. The company currently offers service in Jonglei state, Western Equatoria.
• Vivacell: Became a full fledge GSM operator in South Sudan in 2009. Vivacell is the only mobile operator to be headquartered in South Sudan. Vivacell currently operates in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal State, Juba, Torit, Yei, Bor, Yambio, Bentiu and Malakal. Vivacell expects to be operative in all 10 states by the end of 2011.
• Gemtel a privately owned company was licensed by the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) in 1996 and launched commercial GSM services shortly after in the cities of Juba and Yei. By mid-2009 the company had expanded its footprint to cover Waw, Torit, Bor and Rumbek.
• Sudatel: Sudanese Telecom Company (Sudatel) which was established in 1993 as a public company following the privatization of Telecom Corporation and began operations in February 1994. Sudani, the mobile service operator, is an offshoot of Sudatel.
   

 Telecom Aerials by Company and State

Source: Telecommunication Companies Outreach Data 2010, Ministry of Telecommunications

Access to electricity

GoSS has developed an ambitious program aimed at electrifying 70-80 % of South Sudan by 2020.

• Only three towns (Juba, Malakal and Wau) have partial access to diesel stations for electricity. The existing national grid only covers six states and the northern parts of the Blue Nile.
• Although the access to electricity is improving (3 new power plants and localized distribution networks have been built in Juba, Malakal and Wau recently), the service is low.
• Small-scale hydro-power plant stations are planned as a medium to longer-term solution for extending national grids.
• Currently, in many areas, investors must provide their own electricity, either via generators or through autonomous renewable energy systems such as solar panels or wind mills.
   

Electricity Power plant Capacity in South Sudan. Number and Mega Watt

Source: Southern Sudan Electricity Corporation

Water facilities

Water supply and treatment plants have been constructed and/or renovated in 5 cities but in most places there is no tap water, or only from time to time. Most people have a water container or tank and buy water from the Nile which is brought in water lorries.