Staying abreast of international best practices in investment facilitation is critical for South Sudan to better attract, retain and expand investment.
Two workshops were held in Juba, South Sudan to consult with key ministries, business support organizations (BSOs) and private sector stakeholders.
The consultations were also instrumental for taking a detailed look at the investment climate and opportunities surrounding the coffee and packaging sectors to develop investment profiles.
30 participants representing the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Investment and the private sector contributed to these consultations.
The first workshop focused on the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement, considering South Sudan’s interest to accede to the WTO. It also looked at aspects of the AfCFTA Investment Protocol covering investment facilitation, and what steps can be explored to foster transparency, simplifying processes, and equip policymakers and agencies with the tools to create a more favourable investment environment and reduce delays that impede foreign and domestic investment in South Sudan.
The second workshop focused on presenting the EAC as key region for investment in the coffee and packaging sectors. It highlighted the key market opportunities for South Sudan in these sectors and what steps need to be taken to realize and leverage competitive advantages.
These efforts will enable SMEs in South Sudan to benefit from more streamlined processes and improved transparency. This would create a more conducive and predictable investment environment, thereby improving their ability to access finance, raising their scalability, strengthen connections with foreign investors and participate in regional and global value chains.
Furthermore, by creating a more investment-friendly climate, South Sudan will be able to better attract and retain investment (be it domestic, regional or foreign investors), thereby expanding access to markets in the East African Community (EAC) and build a stronger foundation for growth and competitiveness in regional and international markets.
