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South Sudan, EAC counterparts agree to ease trade

Author: Michael Daniel | Published: June 14, 2024

A meeting of the trade ministry and diplomats from Uganda and Kenya on trade barriers. (-)

Trade officials and diplomats from South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya have agreed to work on mechanisms to ease trade between the neighboring countries.

The resolution was reached on Thursday in a meeting involving South Sudan Minister of Trade and Industry, William Anyuon Kuol, Kenyan Ambassador Jeremy N. Ndola and Uganda’s Charge Affairs in Juba Job Elogu.

In attendance were the 1st Undersecretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Daniel Ayulo; the Deputy Chairman of South Sudan Chamber of Commerce, John Lual, and the Chairperson of South Sudan Manufacturers’ Association, among others.

The meeting revolved around challenges faced by South Sudanese traders in Kenya and Uganda where South Sudanese traders in recent months complained about Uganda’s restriction on their fish supplies destined for DR Congo.

In a statement shared on the Ministry’s page on Facebook, the officials reportedly emphasized on the need for a strategic and effective communication system between traders and embassies to resolve and prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Speaking to reporters in Juba, Kuol Daniel Ayulo, the 1st Undersecretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry said the tripartite meeting aimed to sort out challenges traders from the three countries have been facing.

“In regard to the movement of goods between South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya plus DRC, we were trying to sort some few challenges that happened on the road and on the transit,” Ayuol said.

“One of the incidents about the traders who are exporting salted fish from South Sudan to Congo through Uganda we got a concern and that issue is being handled by the two countries.”

“The second item we discussed is access to the industry zone to Uganda and Kenya the manufacturing society of Uganda and Kenya for South Sudanese traders have to access to the manufacturers of commodities and goods that we have.”

On his part, the Kenyan Ambassador to South Sudan, Jeremy N. Ndola, said the officials agreed to work on a mechanism to grow trade between the two countries.

“We discussed matters to enhance trade and commerce within the region,” Ndola said.

“We have also agreed to work on the mechanism for how to grow trade between Kenya and South Sudan and we have agreed to form a team which should work on all areas where we feel it could be easier.”

“This is to enable the creation of efficiencies in the movement of goods and services and people between the two countries.”

Meanwhile, Ugandan Charge De Affairs, Ambassador Job Elogu, described the meeting as a useful engagement adding that they look forward to a seamless trade in the region.

“It has been a very useful engagement going forward. We look forward to seamless trade between our East African Community member states Kenya and Ugandan South Sudan.”

Both ambassadors reiterated their commitment to fostering better trade relations while emphasizing on the importance of transparent and effective communication channels to support the trading community.

On 10th June 2024, lawmaker Peter Lomody questioned South Sudan’s trade minister about the safety of national fish traders who have been jailed in Uganda for allegedly transiting to DR Congo with trucks not licensed by the country’s Fishery Protection Unit.

In response, Trade Minister William Anyuon said his office and the South Sudan Bureau of Standards were not notified by the traders when they headed to Uganda.

Anyuon said the national traders preferred not to produce license from the ministry to avoid such cases, and instead smuggle their goods without trademarks.

He however said he was informed that the Chamber of Commerce is addressing the matter.

Meanwhile, the chairperson of South Sudan Fisheries Traders Union in DRC, called on the South Sudan government to speed up its engagement with the Ugandan government to release impounded fish trucks.

According to Mangar Akuot Yuang, the Ugandan government has impounded about 16 trucks loaded with salted fish at Elegu on the Ugandan side of the border with South Sudan.

He adds that another south Sudanese fish trader has been arrested over the matter bringing the total number of the detained national traders to four.

Mangar raised concerns that the salted fish cannot be kept in store for a long period of time otherwise it will get spoilt and led to lose to the traders.

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