At the first meeting of the Working Party on the Accession of South Sudan on 21 March, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) members expressed support for working with the world’s youngest nation in order to advance its accession negotiations. South Sudan pledged to use the WTO accession process as an instrument for promoting peace.
Apart from oil, which currently accounts for nearly 90% of South Sudan’s budget revenues, 60% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 95% of exports, South Sudan does not export many products. However, studies have shown that South Sudan has significant potential in agriculture, mining, fisheries, forestry and tourism.
The coffee sector in South Sudan, where Nespresso has operated since 2011, has the potential to help rebuild the nation's coffee industry that was destroyed by conflict.
South Sudan is a member of the East African Community (EAC), which it joined in October 2016. The delegation also took part in the third Trade Policy Review of the EAC (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) on 20 and 22 March.
Story by: Riaan de Lange
