A railway line aimed at exporting goods to South Sudan from East African countries has been re-opened in Uganda after almost two decades.

The rail line ends in the Ugandan town of Gulu 120 kilometers from the South Sudanese border town of Nimule. It is expected to kick start the transport of goods from as far away as Mombasa in Kenya.

Economist  Dr. Spencer Kenyi says the move will bring increased trade benefits to South Sudan, and reduce prices of goods in the market. But,  he  said, South Sudan should compete with bordering countries and develop its export industries.

“South Sudan should also start a system of that kind so that we can now reciprocate. And that will only come at the time that we can produce our own exports. At the moment, it is not possible. So we can rely on that market which is there.

“But we should be working on setting up our own system so that we have the two borders. Not only the Ugandan-South Sudan border and even the Kenya and South Sudan border, we should also think of a similar thing.

“This the best way creating development in two countries without one being injured or without one suffering any disadvantage,” he said.

According to a report by African Development Bank Ugandan imports to South Sudan are worth more than 635 million US dollars a year.