JUBA – Officials from South Sudan and Uganda on Tuesday announced plans to install more scanners at the Nimule border post to tackle congestion that inhibits the free movement of people and goods.
This resolution followed a visit to Juba on Monday by Uganda’s minister of state for foreign affairs in charge of regional cooperation, John Mulimba, who held discussions on ways to enhance cross-border trade with the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA).
Speaking to the media on Tuesday after the meeting, John Mulimba, Uganda’s minister of state for foreign affairs in charge of regional cooperation, said both sides agreed to procure modern cargo scanners to reduce reliance on manual inspections of goods and improve efficiency at the border.
“One of the particular materials that needs to be procured very quickly is a scanner before other ingredients are put in place to avoid the physical manual inspection of goods,” Mulimba said.
Mulimba noted that delays in cargo clearance remain a major challenge, largely driven by limited technological capacity, which continues to slow the implementation of the one-stop border system.
“We noted with concern the delays in the clearance-out time, and we have also observed that these delays are on account of the low technology, which is hampering the implementation of the One Stop Border Centre,” he said.
He said delays in cross-border clearance negatively affect perishable goods, compromising their quality and standards.
“Wastage of capital comes in through delays; as you are aware, some of the goods that are imported are perishables, so we end up compromising on their standards, and at the end of the day, they are not allowed in on account of failure to meet the standards.”
Mulimba said traders pass the costs of these delays on to final products, ultimately forcing consumers to pay higher prices for goods.
“But also, even when they came in, those which met the standards, the cost of delays is put on the cost of the final product, and therefore we make the people of Juba pay higher costs of goods,” he said.
He said both sides agreed to establish a joint technical committee to address delays in cargo clearance and to ensure the full operationalisation of the one-stop border post at Nimule.
Reducing the basket of consumption, thereby reducing their PVP. So we have agreed that we jointly share this burden,” he said.
“We are preparing for a joint permanent commission, which is coming, so our meeting has agreed that SSRA and URA will form a technical committee to discuss how to deepen this collaboration and speed up and effectively facilitate trade.”
Solomon Ariik, acting commissioner general of the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA), said the installation of the scanners aimed at decongesting the Nimule border post.
“On the matter of One Border Stop, we are working hard as well with the African Development Bank to ensure that we have a scanner, which is in process to be procured, as well as ensure that the smooth transition and communication between the systems are in place,” Ariik said.
Ariik said the measures will boost cross-border trade, reduce delays, and strengthen economic ties between the two neighbouring countries.
“So we are going to make an effort to ensure that collaboration is in place, as well as the view I shared; we shall be having a meeting with them soon in May regarding the GSP meeting, and we shall bring them in with our team.”
