He reassured them that South Sudan remains committed to business safety, citing improvements in security along the critical Nimule-Juba highway and the reduction of roadblocks.

He highlighted efforts to streamline taxation and remove trade barriers, boosting trade opportunities, particularly in agriculture and infrastructure development. The Uganda-South Sudan Business Forum, which brought together over 200 businesspeople, signals growing interest in bilateral trade.

Juach also shared figures showing a significant rise in remittances from Ugandan businesspeople, with $900 million sent in 2022/2023, increasing to $1.5 billion by 2023/2024.

He stressed the mutual reliance between the two nations, with South Sudan relying on Uganda for goods, especially as it lacks substantial manufacturing capacity.

Improvement of road infrastructure, including the important Nimule-Juba highway, was also emphasized.

Juach assured that the transitional government is working on more road projects, like the Juba-Rumbek-Bahr El Ghazal and Juba-Bor highways, to ease trade.

In terms of security, he stated that petty crimes are no longer a significant concern and confirmed that no organized criminal activity is targeting Ugandans.

He emphasized the mutual commitment to ensuring safety for both nations’ citizens.

Juach concluded by advocating for deeper regional integration within the East African Community (EAC), encouraging local communities to understand and support the EAC’s goals for better regional trade and education.