Blueprint for a Digital Marketplace
South Sudan’s Ministry of Trade and Industry unveiled the nation’s first e-commerce strategy this week in Juba, presenting a roadmap to widen digital access and spur inclusive growth.
Empowering MSMEs and Youth Entrepreneurs
Officials say the blueprint prioritises micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises through digital marketing training, national online marketplaces, and easier links to African Continental Free Trade Area opportunities.
Atong Kuol Manyang Juuk, Minister of Trade and Industry, argued that equipping entrepreneurs with modern tools can ‘unlock the full potential of our people and markets.’
Bridging Infrastructure Gaps
High connectivity costs, unstable power and patchy logistics still hamper commerce, the strategy notes, making broadband rollout, reliable electricity and improved transport corridors top government priorities.
UNDP country director Samuel Doe highlighted ongoing fibre and energy projects, stressing that ‘digital ambition must rest on physical foundations’.
Regional Alignment and Fair Competition
Draft measures would harmonise customs and consumer rules with East African Community standards, smoothing cross-border e-payments and deliveries.
The recently adopted Competition Bill 2023 promises an even playing field for foreign and local players, reinforcing investor confidence, according to government economists.
Stakeholders Call for Cohesion
Representatives from banking, telecoms, and civil society attending the Juba workshop agreed that sustained cooperation between cabinet, private firms, and development partners will decide the plan’s long-term success.
‘By working together we can move from subsistence to scalable enterprise,’ concluded Juuk, hinting at pilot programmes such as the Dukaanye marketplace that are already onboarding vendors nationwide.