South Sudan and Kenya Revenue Authorities Move to Curb Transit Losses

(NAIROBI) – The South Sudan Revenue Authority and the Kenya Revenue Authority have agreed to strengthen cooperation to reduce revenue losses and improve the movement of goods between the two countries.

The agreement followed a high level meeting held on 2 February 2026 at the Kenya Revenue Authority headquarters in Nairobi. The talks focused on diversion of transit goods, congestion at the Port of Mombasa and the need to improve regional trade controls.

Speaking after the meeting, the Commissioner General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority, William Anyuon Kuol, said both authorities face shared challenges that continue to affect revenue collection. He said goods destined for South Sudan are sometimes diverted or dumped before reaching their final destination, leading to losses for both countries.

He said the two authorities agreed to pursue integrated systems to ensure transit goods reach their intended markets. The aim is to reduce dumping and protect public revenue in line with East African Community guidance.

The two sides also discussed goods that overstay at the Port of Mombasa and items identified as counterfeit. They agreed on a framework under which technical teams from both authorities will work together to ensure such goods are handled correctly and moved to the South Sudan border as required.

The Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority, Humphrey Wattanga, said the discussions focused on ensuring smooth movement of goods through the Port of Mombasa while addressing congestion through better monitoring.

He said both authorities agreed to work towards integrating their electronic cargo tracking systems, or adopting a shared system that would align South Sudan with other East African countries.

The meeting also reviewed plans for a dry port in Naivasha to support the movement of goods from Mombasa to South Sudan. Wattanga said the Government of Kenya had allocated land to South Sudan in August 2022, along with other neighbouring countries, to improve cargo handling and coordination among revenue authorities.

Kenya also committed to support capacity building for the South Sudan Revenue Authority, including technical assistance in areas such as value added tax.

Officials from both sides said the engagement marked an important step in regional revenue cooperation, with the goal of improving trade, strengthening institutions and safeguarding revenues across borders.