Press release: UNDP & partners launch $33 million project to enhance climate resilience and strengthen sustainable development in South Sudan

UNDP has spearheaded the launch of a groundbreaking project titled “Watershed Approaches for Climate Resilience in Agro-pastoral Landscapes” in South Sudan. This initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening the country’s resilience to climate change impacts while promoting sustainable development and economic empowerment among vulnerable communities.

Funded by the GEF-Least Developed Countries Fund and implemented by World Vision South Sudan in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the project is designed to restore ecosystems, strengthen market linkages, and support gender-responsive, climate-smart agricultural practices. Through a participatory watershed-based approach, the project aims to address the root causes of vulnerability and build resilience among agro-pastoral communities, particularly in the face of prolonged conflict and escalating climate change.

In a significant move to reinforce partnership and commitment, UNDP along with World Vision and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of South Sudan convened on 2 May 2024 for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the project, a precursor to the launch.