This archive report was first published on 27 August 2019.
On August 27, 2019, South Sudan's Petroleum Minister Daniel Awow announced plans to send a team of environmental experts to assess the damage caused by pollution in oil-producing areas.
The team will conduct an environmental audit, which is expected to begin in two weeks, to inspect the extent of oil spillage and pollution in the Upper Nile oil-rich region.
According to Minister Awow, the team will be led by an international company to provide an unbiased assessment of the damage and identify areas that need correction.
The move comes after President Salva Kiir cautioned oil companies against 'bad business' and vowed to take action against irresponsible activities in the oil sector.
International and local lobby groups have criticized the South Sudanese government for failing to address pollution in oil-producing areas, which has led to widespread environmental damage and health problems for local communities.
Reports indicate that the pollution has resulted in an increase in deformed babies and stillbirths, attributed to the use of heavy metals in oil production that have leaked into water sources.
Since the beginning of oil exploration in the 1990s, more than 500,000 people in South Sudan have been displaced in oil-producing states due to environmental pollution.
