The Commissioner General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA) recently held discussions with John R. Musinguzi, his counterpart from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), focusing on the implementation of a new cargo monitoring system. Their meeting took place at the URA headquarters in Nakawa.

Expressing concerns about lower-than-expected Customs collections, Mande stressed the need for decisive measures to boost revenue. He revealed a groundbreaking collaboration between SSRA and INVESCO, a technology company set to provide advanced cargo-tracking solutions. Mande expressed confidence in INVESCO’s services, stating, “Invesco’s services will help us improve collections and even exceed our targets.”

The core of this collaboration involves integrating cargo tracking technology, drawing insights from URA’s experience, and seamlessly integrating with their existing system. URA utilizes the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS) for monitoring goods in transit and has been instrumental in effective cargo management.

During the meeting, John Musinguzi underscored the importance of leveraging technology to enhance cargo administration and management. He highlighted the history of collaboration between the two revenue authorities, emphasizing their openness to system integration.

The South Sudanese Ambassador to Uganda, Simon Juach Deng, also attended the meeting, reaffirming his country’s commitment to supporting Uganda in trade facilitation efforts. This diplomatic gesture further strengthens the partnership between the two nations.

The collaboration between URA and SSRA goes beyond this recent development. Last year, the authorities signed a bilateral agreement, solidifying their commitment to ongoing cooperation on various trade facilitation projects. Consequently, trade between South Sudan and Uganda has seen a significant increase, with South Sudan now ranking as Uganda’s second-most popular export destination in East Africa.

This strategic collaboration aims to streamline cargo monitoring processes and significantly contribute to economic growth and trade facilitation between South Sudan and Uganda.