Photo| Courtesy

The South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) and the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) have agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation to curb smuggling, illegal dumping, and tax evasion affecting cross-border trade between the two countries, according to a Facebook Page post on Thursday.

The agreement follows a high-level meeting on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at URA headquarters in Kampala. The SSRA delegation, led by Commissioner General William Anyuon Kuol, met with URA Commissioner General John Musinguzi to discuss measures to reduce revenue leakages and improve trade facilitation for legitimate trade flows.

In a joint commitment, both authorities resolved to enhance coordination and implement measures to maximize domestic revenue collection while safeguarding lawful cross-border trade.

Officials highlighted the need for closer collaboration to tackle practices that undermine fair trade and government revenue.

Key resolutions from the meeting included addressing cargo rerouting, a practice often used to evade taxes and customs duties. Going forward, any rerouting of goods will require prior joint authorization from both SSRA and URA, a move aimed at closing loopholes that have led to revenue losses.

To strengthen oversight, the authorities established a joint technical committee to monitor and address issues related to Ugandan-manufactured goods exported to South Sudan.

The committee will also improve information sharing, enforce compliance, and resolve emerging trade-related concerns promptly.

The officials agreed to strictly enforce the electronic permit system for all goods entering South Sudan, enhancing transparency, traceability, and accurate declaration of goods.

According to SSRA and URA, the strengthened collaboration is expected to significantly reduce smuggling and under-declaration, promote fair trade practices, and improve revenue mobilization in both countries.

The initiative reflects a commitment by South Sudan and Uganda to deepen economic cooperation and create a more secure and efficient cross-border trading environment.