Phase One Handed Over to SSCAA
The South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority on 14 November formally received the first completed segment of Juba International Airport’s new apron from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Officials hailed the hand-over as a milestone toward a safer, larger and more resilient national gateway.
Boosting Capacity at Juba International Airport
Phase One enlarges parking space, taxi lines and load-bearing surfaces, enabling the airport to host additional commercial and humanitarian flights during peak hours. Engineers say congestion has long limited schedules; the new concrete pad begins to change that arithmetic in tangible fashion.
UNMISS–SSCAA Partnership in Action
UNMISS contracted crews have battled swampy terrain and torrential rains since work began in March 2025. “Our peacekeepers bring logistical muscle the terrain demands,” noted UNMISS engineer Captain Shimelis Bekele. SSCAA director Daffalla Habib Awongo praised the collaboration as “evidence that multilateralism can build runways, not only resolutions.”
Economic and Humanitarian Stakes
Expanded apron capacity should lower freight costs, speed relief deliveries and attract airlines eyeing regional connectivity between Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Kinshasa. The government views aviation growth as a pillar of post-conflict recovery, stimulating tourism, oil-service logistics and job creation for the youthful urban workforce.
Next Steps for the Project
Two drainage culverts are already in place, and design blueprints show additional aprons scheduled for completion by late 2026, subject to weather and funding flows. Aviation Security Manager Colonel Phillip Kuch Manyuon said upcoming phases will integrate new lighting, fuel hydrants and perimeter monitoring.