South Sudan’s Ministry of Trade and Industry has launched an online Trade Information Hub aimed at simplifying export and import procedures and providing clearer guidance for investors.
The platform, unveiled at an event in Juba on Thursday, is designed to improve access to market information and reduce bureaucratic hurdles that businesses face in cross-border trade.
Vice President for the Economic Cluster James Wani Igga said the government must prioritize cybersecurity as it expands digital services in the trade sector.
“As we embrace digital solutions in trade, we must equally invest in strong cybersecurity systems to protect sensitive data and ensure the reliability of this platform,” Igga said.
Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly Joseph Ngere Paciko cautioned that weak digital infrastructure could limit the platform’s effectiveness.
“Digital infrastructure remains a serious challenge in our country. Without consistent updates and maintenance, platforms like this risk becoming inaccessible to the very users they are meant to serve,” Paciko said.
Acting Trade and Industry Minister Pieng Ding Kuol urged businesses and other stakeholders to adopt and support the system, saying its success would depend on continued use and improvement.
“This initiative marks the beginning of a broader transformation toward a more transparent and competitive trade environment,” Kuol said.
The European Union also backed the initiative.
Barbara Egger, Team Leader for Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to South Sudan, said such platforms can help unlock trade, attract investment and create jobs.
“The trade and investment platform is a concrete strategic tool to unlock trade, attract investment and create jobs,” she said. “These are the very foundations for a prosperous and peaceful South Sudan.”
Egger added that the country’s potential could be harnessed through stronger trade systems.
“For South Sudan, a country with vast potential, a youthful population and a strategic location in East Africa, trade and investment are key to turning challenges into opportunities and unlocking its economic potential,” she said.
Officials say the Trade Information Hub is expected to improve transparency and support efforts to modernize South Sudan’s trade sector, potentially boosting its competitiveness in regional and global markets.
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