The Ministry of Trade in collaboration with UNDP on Wednesday validated the draft South Sudan Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2023.
This was made possible with the support of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) which is a multilateral partnership dedicated to assisting least-developed countries use trade as an engine for growth and sustainable development.
The Bill is pivotal in advancing South Sudan in regional, continental, and international trade and in enhancing competitiveness and ensuring that trade contributes to equitable and sustainable development, particularly for the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Speaking during a validation workshop of the draft Bill in Juba, the UNDP Team Leader, Daniel Kiir, said the agency was committed to working with the Trade ministry in advancing its agenda.
“The technical people from different institutions should look at the provision in the Bill and confirm that it represents the aspirations of the business communities in the country and the government, and that it will promote domestic trade because competition is not only about outside the country,” Kiir said.
The Director General of Revenue and Records at the Ministry of Finance, Thomas Gatluak, said South Sudan faced challenges of enacting and implementing laws.