JUBA, May 18 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Monday officially launched a Chinese-built Air Traffic Management (ATM) system to boost aviation safety and upgrade its civil aviation sector.
Built by China Harbor Engineering Company, the new infrastructure equipped Juba, Wau, and Malakal with advanced radar, communication, and weather observation networks, the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority said.
President Salva Kiir described the launch of the system as "a proud moment" and directed relevant institutions to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the facility.
"We cannot afford to fail this system," Kiir said during the launch ceremony in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
Ayiei Garang Deng, director general of the South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority, said the newly installed system ranks among the most technologically advanced on the African continent and will enhance regulatory oversight and airspace management in the country.
"We have six radars, three primary radars and three secondary radars, which make it one of the most advanced systems in Africa," Deng said.
Minister of Transport Rizik Zachariah Hassan said the project, which began in 2020 and was completed in 2023, also included the training of 80 South Sudanese technicians to operate and manage the facility.
He added that the government is working with the International Civil Aviation Organization and regional partners on the process of expanding South Sudan's role in managing its airspace.
Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan Ma Qiang said the project is the first and only ATM Cooperation Project to date, and also a key outcome of cooperation agreements reached under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
According to Ma, the system will support civil aviation safety and contribute to South Sudan's economic development and infrastructure modernization.
