African Development Bank Approves $5.28M Grant to South Sudan for Job Creation

Key focuses of the project include the sustainable development of businesses, knowledge production, and capacity development to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved a grant of $5.28 million to South Sudan as part of the Job Creation through Youth and Women-led Micro and Small Enterprises (JMSE) Project. This funding, drawn from the African Development Fund under the Transition Support Facility (TSF), aims to address the urgent need for job creation in the country.

The project will be executed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, with implementation led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which is contributing an additional $1.2 million. The project is set to run from January 2025 to December 2028.

The primary goal of the JMSE project is to cultivate an environment conducive to private sector growth and job creation. It aims to enhance the employability of young people and women, facilitate access to capital and markets, and coordinate the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

“The JMSE project will create opportunities for youth, women, and displaced populations to contribute to local economic recovery, confidence building, and social cohesion, as well as peace building and stabilization,” stated Themba Bhebhe, Country Office Manager for the African Development Bank in South Sudan.

Key focuses of the project include the sustainable development of businesses, knowledge production, and capacity development to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs. Given South Sudan’s high levels of youth unemployment, this initiative represents a crucial step in supporting the government's job creation efforts.

The project will specifically target two states: Northern Bahr-El-Ghazal and Western Bahr-El-Ghazal, areas that are home to a significant proportion of vulnerable young people and displaced persons. It is expected to directly benefit 1,060 young individuals (50% female), 830 women seeking to establish sustainable businesses, and support 50 existing youth-led micro and small enterprises (50% female-led) as well as 50 existing women-led MSEs to foster job creation.

In addition to the African Development Bank, key development partners involved in empowering youth and women in South Sudan include the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the European Union, the UNDP, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.