Uganda, South Sudan Agree Roadmap to Stronger Trade and Border Security

July 24, 2026 in by Editor

Ambassador Balya, left and Governor Adil after signing the resolutions

Uganda and South Sudan have concluded high-level border talks in Arua with agreements to remove trade barriers, strengthen joint security operations and complete the demarcation of their 470-kilometre border by 2027, paving the way for faster trade and improved regional stability.

 

Uganda and South Sudan have concluded two days of high-level border talks with a raft of measures aimed at accelerating trade, strengthening border security and fast-tracking the demarcation of their shared frontier by 2027.

The resolutions, adopted at the close of the 6th Uganda–South Sudan Joint Border Meeting on Economic and Security Cooperation in Arua on Friday, seek to translate commitments made by Presidents Yoweri Museveni and Salva Kiir Mayardit into practical actions that facilitate commerce while improving stability along one of East Africa’s busiest trade corridors.

The meeting, co-chaired by Uganda’s Ambassador to South Sudan, Brig. Gen. Ronnie Balya, and South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony Wani, brought together officials from foreign affairs, trade, customs, security, immigration and local government.

The two countries agreed to resume the work of the Joint Technical Committee responsible for reaffirming and re-marking their approximately 470-kilometre common boundary, with the goal of completing the exercise by 2027.

Border demarcation has remained one of the unresolved issues affecting bilateral relations, with officials arguing that clearly defined boundaries will reduce tensions, improve security coordination and provide certainty for communities and businesses operating along the frontier.

On security, the two governments committed to deepen cooperation between their defence and security agencies to combat cross-border crime, terrorism and violent extremism.

The meeting also endorsed greater use of joint border patrols, regular consultations and community dialogue involving traditional leaders as mechanisms for preventing conflict and promoting peaceful coexistence.

For Uganda’s business community, however, the most significant outcomes relate to trade facilitation.

The two governments agreed to progressively eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers, harmonise customs and immigration procedures and address operational challenges affecting private sector traders.

Officials said the measures are intended to reduce border delays, shorten cargo transit times and improve the movement of goods and people along the Central and West Nile transport corridors linking Uganda to South Sudan.

South Sudan is Uganda’s third-largest export destination, purchasing manufactured goods, food products and construction materials, while Uganda imports livestock, hides and skins, gum arabic, sesame, metals and petroleum products from its northern neighbour.

During peak trading periods, more than 600 cargo trucks cross the Elegu-Nimule and Oraba-Kaya border posts daily, making efficient border management critical to regional commerce.

Recognising that previous resolutions have often suffered from slow implementation, the two delegations adopted a comprehensive implementation matrix assigning responsibilities to government ministries, border authorities, security agencies and private sector stakeholders.

They also agreed to immediately reactivate Border Management Committees to oversee implementation and strengthen coordination at local level.

The heads of delegation reaffirmed what they described as the strong fraternal relations between Uganda and South Sudan, saying closer cooperation is anchored on mutual respect, good neighbourliness and shared economic prosperity.

The meeting was convened under the strategic guidance issued by Presidents Museveni and Kiir during the Ugandan leader’s State Visit to Juba in April 2025, which called for regular institutionalised border engagements to address security and trade challenges.

South Sudan will host the seventh session of the Joint Border Bilateral Meeting on a date to be agreed through diplomatic channels.

The Arua resolutions are expected to reinforce East African Community efforts to improve regional connectivity and trade by making border crossings more efficient while strengthening cooperation on security and migration management.