South Sudan Chamber of Commerce pushes for practical AfCFTA implementation at Nairobi summit

NAIROBI — A representative of the South Sudan Chamber of Commerce, John Agou Wuoi, has urged regional business leaders to translate the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) into tangible commercial transactions for farmers, young entrepreneurs, and manufacturers.

Addressing fellow chamber leaders and international delegates in Nairobi on October 15, Wuoi stressed that businesses measure regional integration through practical milestones—such as locating customers, crossing borders predictably, securing payments, and accessing finance.

Held under the theme “Driving Africa’s Next Era of Trade,” the summit kicked off with discussions on expanding intra-African commerce, unlocking investment opportunities, and accelerating the continent’s economic transformation.

To bridge policy and execution, Wuoi, representing the South Sudan Chamber of Commerce, outlined a comprehensive four-point agenda at the Africa Commerce and Industry Summit 2026:

• Establishing Local Trade Help Desks: Wuoi emphasized bringing AfCFTA closer to enterprises by guiding small businesses through market requirements, rules of origin, customs documentation, and product standards, ensuring that legal progress matches enterprise readiness in South Sudan.

• Driving Direct Business-Matching: He called for chambers across South Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda to connect enterprises around specific supply and demand gaps in food processing, livestock, logistics, and digital services, supported by rigorous follow-up mechanisms to secure actual purchase orders.

• Investing in Regional Value Chains: Wuoi invited strategic partnerships to tackle infrastructure deficits—such as storage facilities, cold chains, reliable power, and transport—particularly within agricultural processing and renewable energy, ensuring smaller enterprises, women, and youth are integrated into wider trading networks.

• Actionable Advocacy on Trade Barriers: Highlighting the cost of border delays and unexpected charges, he urged chambers to compile empirical evidence of trade bottlenecks and collaborate with governments to track resolutions.

Concluding his address, Wuoi proposed that participating chambers adopt a focused 90-day action plan featuring nominated trade focal points, joint business-matching initiatives, and structured follow-ups on non-tariff barriers to ensure the summit’s commitments deliver measurable economic growth.

The high-level roundtable, moderated by Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) President Dr. Erick Ruto, took place at the Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum in Nairobi.

The session formed part of the landmark three-day continental gathering bringing together more than 5,000 delegates, 350 exhibitors, and over 100 investors from 50 countries to mark KNCCI’s 60th anniversary.

Alongside Wuoi, the executive roundtable featured prominent regional and international trade figures, including Adv. Mtho Xulu, President of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr. Vincent Minja, President of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture; Mr. Ali Suleiman Amour, Chairman of the Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce; H.E. Mr. Samad Hassan Zadeh, President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture; Mr. Seyed Mehdi, President of the Kerman Chamber of Commerce; and Mr. Christopher Mugaga, CEO of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce.