South Sudan, Uganda step up efforts to boost trade efficiency

(JUBA)- South Sudan and Uganda are stepping up efforts to strengthen trade ties following high-level talks between respective revenue authorities and government officials.

On Monday, officials from the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) and the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), alongside representatives from the Ugandan government, met in Juba to discuss ways to deepen cooperation and address persistent trade bottlenecks.

The meeting brought together SSRA Acting Commissioner General Solomon Ariik and Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs for Regional Cooperation, John Mulimba, along with URA officials.

Discussions centered on improving trade efficiency, reducing cargo clearance times, and fully operationalizing the one-stop border post at Nimule, one of the busiest trade routes between the two countries.

Speaking after the meeting, Mulimba said both sides agreed to establish a joint technical committee to streamline procedures and strengthen coordination between the two revenue bodies.

“Our discussions focused on forming a technical committee between SSRA and URA to deepen cooperation and effectively facilitate trade,” he said.

He acknowledged that delays in cargo clearance remain a major challenge, attributing the problem largely to limited technological capacity that has slowed the implementation of the one-stop border system.

“We noted with concern the delays in clearance time, mainly due to low levels of technology affecting the one-stop border center,” Mulimba added.

To address the issue, both sides emphasized the need to invest in modern equipment, including cargo scanners, to reduce reliance on manual inspections and improve efficiency.

They also agreed to enhance data sharing systems to allow real-time access to import and export information.

Ariik welcomed the collaboration, describing it as a critical step toward improving service delivery and aligning South Sudan’s systems with regional and international standards.

“This is a strong partnership. We are working to benchmark our systems within the region and globally to improve our services,” he said.

He added that SSRA, with support from the African Development Bank, is already working to procure scanning equipment to speed up cargo processing and facilitate smoother trade flows.

The initiative is expected to reduce delays at border points, boost cross-border trade, and strengthen economic ties between South Sudan and Uganda, which remain key trading partners in the region.