(JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN) – The South Sudan National Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture has called on the Government to fully implement the East African Community Common External Tariff so the country can begin trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area alongside other EAC Partner States.
The call was made during a capacity building workshop that began in Juba on 22 June. The workshop was organised by the East African Business Council in collaboration with the Chamber and in partnership with GIZ.
More than 45 South Sudanese enterprises from a wide range of sectors attended the workshop. These sectors included manufacturing, agriculture and agro processing, cosmetics, arts and crafts, trading, freight forwarding, transport and logistics.
The Second Vice Chairperson of the Chamber, Weiu Weiu Mou, said the AfCFTA market presents significant opportunities for South Sudan. He noted that the country can diversify its exports and expand its destination markets across Africa beyond the traditional markets of the EAC Partner States and oil exports.
He pointed to several products in which South Sudan has a comparative advantage and strong export potential under the AfCFTA framework. These include shea butter, gum arabic, natural and organic honey, sesame seeds, groundnuts, soybeans, and fish.
Mr Weiu urged the Government of South Sudan to speed up the ratification of the AfCFTA Agreement. He noted that although South Sudan was among the first countries to sign the Agreement, delayed ratification limits private sector access to a market of 1.3 billion consumers.
The Economic Policy Advisor on AfCFTA for the EAC, Lamech Wesonga, stated that GIZ is committed to supporting private sector awareness of the AfCFTA Agreement and its Protocols. He said the aim is to make sure businesses are well placed to use the framework once South Sudan ratifies the Agreement.
The Trade and Policy Advisor at EABC, Adrian Njau, challenged the private sector to keep advocating for the Government to speed up ratification while also preparing themselves to trade under the Agreement. He noted that businesses should be ready to seize opportunities immediately upon ratification to make up for the seven years lost due to the country’s delay.
The three day workshop focused on the AfCFTA Agreement, the Protocol on Trade in Goods and its Annexes. It also covered the opportunities and challenges linked to accessing AfCFTA markets. Enterprises learned about key EAC trade instruments including the EAC Common External Tariff and the Simplified Trade Regime.
The Simplified Trade Regime makes it easier for small scale cross border traders within the EAC to access simplified certificates of origin and trade documentation.
In a related development, the East African Business Council in collaboration with the EAC Secretariat and GIZ held a National Capacity Building Workshop on Mutual Recognition Agreements on 22 and 23 June in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The workshop brought together government agencies, professional bodies, regulators, private sector representatives and development partners. It focused on strengthening understanding and implementation of Mutual Recognition Agreements in the EAC.
The workshop emphasised the critical role of Mutual Recognition Agreements in easing the free movement of professionals, promoting trade in services, and advancing regional integration under the EAC Common Market Protocol.
Key recommendations included faster implementation of existing Mutual Recognition Agreements, expanding the EAC MRA Digital Platform, harmonising professional standards, and strengthening collaboration among regulators, immigration authorities, labour institutions and the private sector.
In Arusha, Tanzania, the East African Business Council hosted Members of the East African Legislative Assembly, Kennedy Musyoka Kalonzo and Kambarage Masato Wasira, at the EABC Secretariat. The discussions focused on the Council’s role as the voice of the private sector and explored ways to strengthen private sector representation within the EAC.
Areas of collaboration discussed included airspace liberalisation, trade in services, and positioning East African businesses to take advantage of opportunities under the AfCFTA through the Afreximbank Africa Trade Gateway.
The inaugural EABC East Africa CEO and Investment Forum 2026 is set to take place on 17 and 18 September in Nairobi, Kenya. The forum will bring together regional and international business leaders, investors, development finance institutions, banks and policymakers to advance East Africa’s trade, investment and competitiveness agenda.