South Sudan business community engages continental economic giants amid frail economy

By Okech Francis

South Sudan business community is engaging economic giants on the African continent including the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and African Import-Export Bank with the view to boost trade amid a weak economy, the Deputy Chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce, Losidik Lukak Legge said.

Lukak participated in a recent trade fair organised by the African Continental Free Trade Area in South African.

The new AfCFTA trade bloc is a single market for goods and services aimed at boosting trade and investment. It attracted over 1000 exhibitors from across Africa. Traders from about 55 countries participated.

According to Lukak, the South Sudan Chamber of Commerce “held fruitful meetings” with Pan African Chamber of Commerce at the event and has resolved to subscribe for membership to the body.

“We are going to benefit through building of trade relationship,” he told the press in Juba on Friday.

“This will ensure big companies access the business platform in South Sudan and deliver economic services to the people.”

The Pan African Chamber of Commerce headquartered in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa was established to bring together all Chamber of Commerce organisations across Africa and link companies in different countries to work together.

It as well aims at providing capacity building to African investors.

“There was as well a meeting with the Afrixim Bank board of director with the aim of ensuring our members register in the platform which is a vital tool to trading and networking,” Lukak said.

South Sudan’s economy is frail, battered by years of internal conflict that slashed production of its main source of revenue, crude oil.

The war which began in 2013 saw many investments close. It also left 400,000 people dead and displaced four million others.

A transitional government formed through a peace agreement between warring parties has provided a relatively peaceful atmosphere for investment but business communities are still struggling to turn things around.