John Bosco Kalisa, EABC CEO | Executive Director - credit | East African Business Council (EABC)

The East African Business Council has called for deployment of a regional joint army patrol for escorting and protect truck drivers along Juba-Nimule highway.

The business body urged the EAC Secretariat to convene the EAC Sectoral Council on Interstate Security to consider deploying regional forces that will provide security to truck drivers amid the cross-border trade impasse due to security concerns.

In a press statement, the East African Business Council (EABC) condemns the harassment and killing of truck drivers traversing EAC borders.

“A joint regional army patrol is a quick solution to guarantee peace and security for truck drivers, business people and their properties. This will ease and facilitate transportation of essential goods amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”

In April 2021, the East African Business Council commended South Sudan and Uganda for escorting truck drivers.

It urges the Ministries in charge of Interstate Security to adopt a regional monitoring mechanism to analyze, monitor progress and emerging issues on trade & security in the region.

“Peace and security are prerequisites to social and economic development in the region,” the statement stated.

“Insecurity increases the cost and time of transporting goods, risks people’s lives, obstructs cross-border trade and negatively impacts the competitiveness of the EAC bloc.”

The business council revealed that over 1056 trucks are stranded at the Elegu border risking the spread of COVID-19 to border communities due to attacks along the Juba-Nimule highway.

They say each day a truck is stranded to deliver goods, the transporter and client incur losses of appx. USD.1,000.

Furthermore, it says the release costs for truck drivers who have fallen victim to the insecurity assaults range between $10,000 to $20,000 and sometimes their precious life.

“Businesses can only reap the benefits availed by the EAC Common Market of 177 million consumers only if peace and security is guaranteed and flourishes,” EABC said.

According to the EAC Trade and Investment Report, 2019, South Sudan exported goods worth $6.8 million and imported $225.9 million from the EAC Partner States.

It says intra-regional exports grew by 0.6 percent in 2019 to USD.3.2 billion while total EAC intra-regional imports increased to $3.2 billion in 2019, from $2.8 billion in 2018.

The East African Business Council (EABC) is the regional apex body of private sector associations and Corporates from the 6 East African
countries.

It was established in 1997 to foster the interests of the private sector in the integration process of the East African Community.

EABC vision is a borderless East Africa for business and investment.

The primary mission is to promote sustainable private sector driven growth in the EAC.