By Emmanuel Mandella

In a significant step toward advancing its trade landscape, South Sudan has validated the draft Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2023, aimed at bolstering the country’s competitiveness on the regional, continental, and international stages.

The bill was finalized on Wednesday through a joint effort between the Ministry of Trade and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF), a global partnership dedicated to fostering sustainable development in least-developed countries through trade.

The new legislation seeks to promote fair competition and protect consumer rights, ensuring that South Sudanese businesses, especially Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), can thrive in a fair marketplace. By fostering a competitive trade environment, the bill is poised to help South Sudan leverage trade as an engine for economic growth and sustainable development.

During a validation workshop held in Juba, Daniel Kiir, the UNDP Team Leader, emphasized the bill’s role in strengthening domestic commerce.

“The technical people from different institutions should look at the provision in the Bill and confirm that it represents the aspirations of the business communities in the country and the government, and that it will promote domestic trade because competition is not only about outside the country,” Kiir said, highlighting the importance of internal trade to South Sudan’s economy.

The Bill also addresses a pressing challenge in South Sudan: the need for effective law enforcement. Thomas Gatluak, Director General of Revenue and Records at the Ministry of Finance, acknowledged the country’s difficulties in enacting and implementing laws, noting that proper enforcement mechanisms are essential to the bill’s success.

 “South Sudan has faced challenges in enacting and implementing laws, but this bill could be a turning point in aligning our trade policies with international standards,” Gatluak said.

The South Sudan Competition and Consumer Protection Bill 2023, once enacted, is expected to empower local businesses, encourage foreign investment, and foster equitable growth, paving the way for the country to fully integrate into global trade networks.