Rowland Bon Nkahebwa January 23, 2024

Uganda, South Sudan to harmonize standards to enhance cross border trade

The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) together with the South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS) are set to harmonise sampling, test methods and certification processes to enhance bi-lateral trade between Uganda and South Sudan. The resolution is one of the many reached at, during a meeting between the two National Standards Bodies held on 11th January 2024, in Nimule.

The engagement led by both the UNBS Ag. Executive Director Mr. Nangalama Daniel Richard Makayi and the SSNBS Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Hon. Dr. Kuorwel Kuai Kuorwel, came after a recent standoff between Uganda and South Sudan over maize exports from Uganda, which saw a Joint Ugandan Delegation led by the Senior Presidential Advisor and Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo travel to Elegu-Nimule, in 2023 to negotiate release of impounded Ugandan Trucks with maize grain and flour in South Sudan.

Since then, UNBS embarked on batch sampling and laboratory analysis of maize grain and flour   exports to S. Sudan in designated sampling yards in Central (Afrokai in Matugga), Eastern (Uhuru Parking, Mbale) and Northern Uganda (Layibi in Gulu), utilising the UNBS Central and regional testing laboratories. Since this intervention, 346 out of the 367 samples representing 94.2% of the total maize flour samples analysed, complied with the standard requirements and were from 23 companies certified by UNBS.

The two National Standards Bodies have thus agreed that;

• All products covered by Compulsory Standards including cereals and cereal products  (mainly maize flour) must be certified by UNBS prior to being exported to South Sudan from Uganda.
• A Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) certificate from competent authorities in Uganda MUST accompany other products exported to South Sudan like fruits and vegetables, dairy products like fresh milk and yorghurt, chicken and chicken products, fish and fish products.
• A technical team from the two standards bodies to be set up to harmonise sampling, test methods and certification processes, among other resolutions.

UNBS has since urged all manufacturers and traders intending to export goods to South Sudan to ensure that they undergo the UNBS Certification process and obtain a certification permit and a SPS certificate from a competent authority where applicable, for the smooth flow of their goods and services to South Sudan.

UNBS is tasked with enforcing standards to protect the health and safety of consumers and the environment against dangerous and sub-standard products as well as, ensuring fairness in trade and strengthening the economy of Uganda by assuring the quality of locally manufactured products to enhance the competitiveness of exports in regional and international markets.