Last Thursday, Uganda government
and development partners formally handed over the new Elegu One Stop Border
Post to Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) – the agency charged with managing all
the country’s borders.
This technical handover was
graced by representatives from Uganda, South Sudan and development partners.
Costing up to about USD 10
million, the Elegu one stop border post (OSBP) was funded by the United
Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) through TradeMark
East Africa and government of Uganda.
To many, the completion and
consequent handover of this vital facility is a new beginning that will further
improve trade between Uganda and South Sudan, which is by the way already
massive with the latter ranking as the former’s second biggest exports
destination.
According to statistics from the
central bank, Uganda in the 2017/18 financial year alone exported goods worth
USD 311.34 million to South Sudan compared to USD 14.54 million of imports from
the same country. Uganda’s exports to South Sudan included informal exports worth
USD 54.17m in the same period.
Furthermore, border records
indicate that over 300 cargo trucks are cleared at the Elegu-Nimule border
everyday. Plus, there are more than 1000 informal cross border traders
operating in the same area.
In a brief interview with traders
and truck drivers at the Elegu market, many were very positive that this
milestone infrastructure would facilitate trade through reducing clearance
times and increasing collaboration between the two neighbors.
“ It is the first of its kind. Our
biggest problem has always been floods at the clearance point and delayed
clearance. But we have been told that the Elegu border post will solve these
issues. We are optimistic that business is changing for the better,” Mr Nyero
Daniel, an informal trader noted.
Meanwhile Ms Molly Andego, a
cross border trader noted that now that the infrastructure is in place, it
should be equipped with all facilities that are in other OSBPs across the
region.
“ We thank everyone that
contributed to this. It has taken long but it is finally here. We expect that
at the soonest, this Elegu border post will be fitted with all systems and
resources like they are in Busia and Mutukula border posts.”
Slow Movement on South Sudan side.
Nonetheless, while the Elegu
border post is ready to facilitate trade, the Nimule side is not. In
functionality, a one stop border post connects two countries and as such, must
have presence at both sides of the border, in this case Elegu for Uganda and
Nimule for South Sudan.
Unfortunately however, even
though DFID and TradeMark EA are committed to constructing the required
infrastructure in Nimule, pockets of instability in South Sudan have delayed
the process.
In a recent interview, Ms Damali
Ssali, the Ag. Country Director TradeMark East Africa, Uganda noted that “For
Nimule, due to the crisis is South Sudan; construction of the refugee reception
area is underway. When peace returns in South Sudan, and funding is available,
the Nimule border will be fully constructed.”
But according to Hon Mou Mou
Athian Kuol, the undersecretary in South Sudan’s ministry of Trade, Industries
and East African Community affairs, the recently signed peace agreement between
H.E Salva Kiir and former Vice President – Hon Riek Machar will last and thus
the construction of the Nimule border post will be fast-tracked.
Hon. Mou Mou Athian Kuol further
promised that together with the S Sudan cabinet, they are going to make sure
that Ugandan Traders are not mistreated in S Sudan.
“I have noted the issues about
continuous mistreatment of Ugandan Traders by our people of South Sudan. As
soon as I go back to South Sudan, I am going to table these issues to my bosses
in the cabinet. I promise that this will be addressed. There is no reason for
mistreating people that bring goods and services to us. We are all in business
and we need each other,” Hon Mou Kuol noted.
The Elegu OSBP is among the over
ten one stop border posts constructed by TradeMark East Africa in the East
African Community. The others include; Mirama Hills Uganda / Kagitumba Rwanda,
Busia Kenya/ Busia Uganda, Malaba Kenya / Malaba Uganda, Taveta Kenya / Holili
Tanzania, Mutukula Tanzania / Mutukula Uganda, Kobero Burundi/ Kabanga Tanzania
and Tunduma Tanzania.
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