By Lodu William Odiya
Trade between Uganda and South Sudan has grown to an estimated US$700 million, up from about US$490 million in 2019, as the two neighbouring countries seek to address persistent border, infrastructure, and regulatory challenges that continue to raise the cost of doing business along the trade corridor.
In a statement that was obtained by the No. 1 Citizen Daily English Newspaper on Monday, the growth has strengthened South Sudan’s position as one of Uganda’s key export markets, with Ugandan businesses supplying food, construction materials, manufactured goods, and other essential products to the neighbouring country.
However, businesses in the private sector on both sides say delays at border points, lengthy clearance and product-testing processes, infrastructure constraints, and regulatory barriers are limiting the full potential of the expanding commercial relationship.
These challenges will be part of key discussions that will take centre stage at the 2nd Uganda and South Sudan Business Forum and Exhibition, scheduled for October 14, 2026, at Mestil Hotel & Residences in Kampala, where government officials, private-sector organisations, traders, manufacturers, investors, and logistics providers from both countries will seek practical solutions to barriers affecting cross-border commerce.
The Forum will be held under the theme “Easing the Cost of Doing Business and Unlocking Regional Market Opportunities for Uganda and South Sudan.”
Speaking during a pre-briefing session ahead of the forum, Brig. Gen. Bonny Bamwiseki, Defense Attaché and Head of Mission at the Uganda Embassy in Juba, said the strong historical, cultural, and geographical ties between the two countries provide a foundation for deeper commercial cooperation.
“We share the same bond and need to increase our business partnership. Our cultural and historical ties should help us mitigate the challenges that continue to affect trade as we unlock regional opportunities,” he said.
South Sudan’s Chargé d’Affaires at its Embassy in Kampala, Ms. Akuol Abijok Deng, said reducing the cost and delays associated with moving goods across the border would be critical to sustaining the growth in bilateral trade.
“The high costs and delays at the border affect our businesses. Our two countries must continue working together to ensure quicker access to markets and create an environment where the private sector can drive bilateral relations and unlock opportunities,” she said.
Uganda’s exports to South Sudan include milling and grain products, refined sugar and confectionery, iron and steel, cement and other construction materials, beverages, processed foods, and animal and vegetable fats and oils.
South Sudan, in turn, exports products including scrap iron, scrap copper, and dried, salted, or smoked fish to Uganda.
The commercial relationship has also expanded beyond merchandise trade into sectors including education, healthcare, and construction, creating opportunities for businesses to establish longer-term partnerships and investments across the two markets.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Charles Ssentongo said the next phase of the bilateral relationship must focus on creating practical pathways for businesses to take advantage of the growing market.
“We need to find pathways to enhance business between our nations and unlock the much-needed opportunities to attract investment. The conversation must also focus on the regional context beyond our individual countries,” Amb. Ssentongo said.
He added that Uganda and South Sudan should look beyond increasing bilateral trade and position the corridor as a gateway to wider regional markets, including Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR).
The Forum will therefore focus on reducing non-tariff barriers, simplifying customs procedures, strengthening the use of One-Stop Border Posts, improving coordination between tax and standards authorities, and addressing infrastructure and logistics constraints that increase the cost of moving goods.
It will also provide a platform for the private sector to raise concerns directly with institutions responsible for trade facilitation and agree on practical interventions to make cross-border trade more efficient and predictable.
The discussions will further explore how Uganda and South Sudan can leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand market access, develop regional value chains, and create more opportunities for young people and women to participate in cross-border trade.
A key priority will be the operationalisation of a Joint Permanent Investment and Business Council (JPIBC) between Uganda and South Sudan. The proposed platform is expected to provide a structured mechanism for sustained dialogue between government and business, monitor implementation of agreed interventions, and address emerging trade and investment challenges.
The inaugural Uganda–South Sudan Business Forum was held in Juba in July 2022, bringing together Uganda’s business community and government representatives from both countries.
The second forum comes at a critical point in the bilateral relationship, with trade volumes rising while businesses call for stronger systems, infrastructure, and coordination to support further growth.
For Uganda and South Sudan, the challenge is no longer simply how to increase trade, but how to make the movement of goods, services and investment faster, cheaper and more predictable—and transform the Uganda–South Sudan corridor into a competitive regional gateway connecting East Africa to markets in Sudan and the Central African Republic.