Fire and resilience at Amiet Market

Amiet Market was set up through dialogues facilitated by Concordis in 2016. The market is widely seen as a reason to keep the peace, despite the political pressures over the contested territory. Unfortunately, in February 2021 the market experienced a huge and accidental fire.

The fire destroyed about 80% of the 3,000 shops and restaurants, with thousands of tonnes of food burning, just as parts of South Sudan were entering Category 5 Famine. Politicians on both sides refused to allow international agencies to help people rebuild because of disagreements about the location of the market. And yet, just five weeks later, the market had been rebuilt using local materials by those whose livelihoods depended on it. The quick response by the communities showed an extraordinary exhibition of resilience and self-reliance.

10,000 people use the market daily

3,000 tonnes of goods traded weekly