South Sudan Embassy Issues Advisory on Kenyan Imports

(NAIROBI) – The Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan in Nairobi has issued a public announcement alerting South Sudanese importers, freight forwarders and logistics companies about new customs regulations introduced by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

According to the statement dated 15 July 2025, the new requirement demands that all goods entering Kenya, whether for local use or in transit to other countries, including South Sudan, must be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Origin (COO) issued by a competent authority in the country of export. The regulation officially came into force on 1 July 2025 under Kenya’s Finance Act 2025.

This means that South Sudanese traders using the Port of Mombasa to import goods into South Sudan must now comply with the COO requirement or risk severe consequences such as shipment delays, penalties or confiscation of goods at Kenyan customs points.

The Embassy advised all traders to immediately confirm compliance with their clearing agents or freight forwarding companies before dispatching new consignments to avoid disruptions in the supply chain. The statement warned against sending shipments without the required COO documentation.

The South Sudanese government, through its Embassy in Nairobi, has taken diplomatic steps to request a grace period from Kenyan authorities to allow goods that were already shipped or are currently in transit to proceed without penalties. However, until an exemption is officially granted, the Embassy urged caution and strict compliance with the new rule.

For further information and clarification, affected traders are encouraged to contact the Commercial and Trade Section of the Embassy via the official contact channels listed below: