NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 27 – Kenya and South Sudan are seeking to dismantle persistent barriers to cross-border trade as bilateral commerce between the two countries declines from $246 million to $168 million.

📻 Breaking It Down

The two countries have convened in Nairobi for high-level discussions aimed at addressing bottlenecks affecting the movement of goods and people, reducing transport costs and strengthening economic cooperation.

Principal Secretary for the State Department for East African Community Affairs and Acting PS for ASALs and Regional Development, Dr Caroline W. Karugu, said the talks are focused on finding practical solutions to challenges affecting trade between the neighbouring countries.

Karugu said she is driving efforts to establish a direct transport corridor between Kenya and South Sudan, which would reduce transit costs and improve the competitiveness of businesses operating across the two markets.

📌 What You Need to Know

“Kenya and South Sudan have convened in Nairobi to dismantle persistent cross-border trade barriers following a steep decline in bilateral trade from $246 million down to $168 million,” Karugu said.

She added that the proposed direct transport corridor would be designed to cut the cost of moving goods while improving connectivity and supporting regional competitiveness.

The initiative comes amid renewed efforts by Kenya and South Sudan to improve road infrastructure linking the two countries. Earlier this month, the two governments renewed their push to advance the road connection between Lokichokio in northern Kenya, Nadapal at the South Sudan border and Juba, with the project expected to reduce cargo transit times and strengthen trade.

The Nairobi talks are expected to focus on non-tariff barriers and other challenges that have continued to raise the cost and time required to move cargo between Kenya and South Sudan.

For transporters, the efficiency of the corridor is critical as South Sudan relies heavily on regional transport routes for imported goods.

Recent disruptions, including insecurity, illegal roadblocks, extortion and harassment along routes serving South Sudan, have raised concerns among Kenyan truckers and threatened to disrupt trade flows.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya