The European Union, the United Nations Office for Project Services and an African trade organization announced a joint initiative Tuesday to streamline trade and improve infrastructure at South Sudan’s main border crossing with Uganda.
The four-year, $10.8 million Nimule One-Stop Border Post project aims to simplify customs and immigration procedures and strengthen trade facilitation. Officials said it will place special emphasis on empowering women and youth engaged in small-scale cross-border trade.
The project is part of the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy. Efficient border operations are seen as critical to boosting regional commerce and building confidence between trading nations, organizers said.
A stakeholder workshop was held in Juba to mark the launch, bringing together government officials, development partners and private sector representatives.
Massimo Scalorbi, head of cooperation for the EU Delegation to South Sudan, stressed the importance of an inclusive approach. “Inclusivity is key,” he said.
South Sudan’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Atong Kuol Manyang, said the project would help create “conditions for smoother trade, job opportunities and long-term economic growth for our people.”
The UNOPS country manager in South Sudan, Petronella Halwindi, said the goal was to build “ownership from the very beginning.”
Anna Nambooze, country director for TradeMark Africa in Uganda and South Sudan, said the project will apply East African Community protocols to improve coordination and digitize procedures.
UNOPS will oversee construction of a climate-resilient administration building and a dedicated market for women and youth. TradeMark Africa will lead efforts to automate trade processes and enhance inspections.
The project is funded under the EU Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package.