Uganda-Sudan trade woes to end

Kampala
Uganda and Sudan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes a joint trade committee responsible for addressing trade problems.

The memorandum, signed by the Minister of Trade and Industry Kahinda Otafiire, and South Sudan’s Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Mr Marial Berbaba Benjamin, was signed during the recently concluded first ever Uganda-South Sudan trade exhibition that was held at Nyakuron Cultural Centre in Juba.

The exhibition that showcased Ugandan products to the Sudanese, aims to forge business linkages among the producers, exporters and importers in South Sudan.

Over 20 Ugandan companies ranging from manufacturing to the service sector showcased their products during the exhibition with South Sudan having only five companies at the show.

Mr Othieno Odoi, the senior trade promotion officer at the Uganda Export Promotion Board, said; “the exhibition’s agenda was to smoothen the already existing trade links and understanding things like; taxation, immigration, border delays and harassment, which have dogged trade between the two trading nations.”

A welcome move
The move was welcomed by Issa Ssekitto, the spokesman of Kampala City Traders Association (Kacita) who said Ugandan traders have had serious problems while transacting business in Sudan. Therefore such a memorandum was a timely achievement for the two countries.

A joint committee that seeks to implement the memorandum will be drawn from the public and private sector and will include; members of the police, chamber of commerce and industry and other institutions responsible for promoting trade.

The two delegations agreed that the committee should have its first meeting within three months in Kampala and then followed by juba.