South Sudan and Uganda have signed a  one-stop border crossing deal in a bid to reduce travel time and cost of cross-border business, an official has said.

The Undersecretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Ayok Anei, says the agreement, which was signed Kampala last week, is also aimed at promoting trade through efficient movement of goods, people, and services between the two countries.

“It will also enhance women’s trade program to promote inclusivity and equality between women and men,” Mr Anei told reporters in Juba on Monday.

“That means small businesses like those of women who come to sell bananas or vegetables from Uganda have to be empowered – make life easy for them to cross the border.”

Once constructed, the border post will reduce the number of stops in cross-border trade and other transactions by combining border control activities at a single location in each direction.

The signing of the agreement was witnessed by the officials from both ministries of Foreign Affairs.

The initiative was facilitated by the Ugandan Foreign Ministry supported by and Aid Organization called Trade Mark East Africa.

Uganda is South Sudan’s major trade partner in the region. Its exports have reached an approximated $1.18 billion since 2008, according to data from the Ugandan Ministry of Trade.