South Sudan hails progress on China aided television project

JUBA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- A South Sudanese official on Thursday hailed the speedy progress made by two Chinese companies constructing both the national radio and television facilities.

Ramadan Kamil Abulangi, the director of Engineering at South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), said the project being undertaken from 2019 will transform radio and television broadcasting services in the country when completed in August.

China Dalian International Economic and Technological Cooperation Group Co. Ltd and Beijing Yutian Suocheng Technology Co. Ltd are the implementing partners.

"This project is the most important project for South Sudan because we are going to have a 120-meter tower and there will be microwave linking to the office of the president to cover live events and there will be another microwave to move around Juba to cover all events happening," Kamil told Xinhua during inspection of the facilities in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The project includes the construction of a new TV studio production building with a total construction area of about 2,400 square meters. The studio production building has two floors, including a TV studio, virtual studio, recording studio, master control room, launch room, office room, and related supporting facilities.

It also includes building a new launch room with a gross floor area of 400 square meters within the Gumbo launch pad site and a launch system will be provided.

"It will also be equipped with modern equipment and digital trace transmitters and all the latest equipment will be provided. I think this project will be the first or second in Africa and people of South Sudan are happy," Kamil said.

Kamil said that the state broadcaster SSBC will have more than 20 channels, adding that all private televisions in Juba will be connected to SSBC.

Chinese technicians are expected to train local engineers on operating and maintaining the equipment and facilities.

Xu Song, the managing director of China Dalian International Economic and Technological Cooperation Group Co. Ltd, said they have already finished 85 percent of the work on decoration, mechanical and electrical installation.

"We encountered some difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are confident we will finish this project by Aug. 20, 2022," said Xu, adding that they have commenced the installation and replacement of old equipment with the modern ones shipped from China.

The existing infrastructure of the national radio and television station in South Sudan is single-story houses built in the last century and the infrastructure is relatively backward.

In November 2014, South Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation sent a note to the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan, requesting assistance in the construction of radio and television facilities.

In July 2017, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce officially approved the project of radio and television facilities for South Sudan.