President Salva Kiir, on Wednesday, held a meeting with Kenya’s Trade Minister, Wycliffe Oparanya, where they reviewed the ongoing 24th East Africa Community (EAC) Trade Fair exhibition in Juba. The event, which brought together a broad range of small-scale traders, is seen as a critical step towards boosting regional trade and market access within East Africa.
In the meeting, President Kiir and Minister Oparanya underscored the importance of the trade fair, which provides a platform for local traders to showcase their products, connect with new markets, and gain visibility across EAC partner states. Oparanya highlighted the scale of the event, revealing that 1,500 exhibitors from various EAC member states are participating, demonstrating the exhibition’s capacity to foster significant economic collaboration, the presidential press unit reported.
The trade fair, hosted at Freedom Hall in Juba, marks a milestone for South Sudan as the host of this year’s rotational event, with a focus on empowering small-scale enterprises. Minister Oparanya remarked that the exhibition is not just about trade; it is about building regional ties and enhancing market penetration.
Accompanying the Kenyan Trade Minister was the South Sudan Minister of Trade and Industry, Amb. Joseph Mum Majak, further solidifying the bilateral ties between the two nations within the broader EAC framework. As the exhibition continues, it is expected to yield positive outcomes for both South Sudan and the wider East African region, with participants keen to leverage new trade opportunities and promote economic growth.
The significance of such regional events was outlined by President Kiir, who stated: “South Sudan is proud to host this prestigious trade fair, a testament to our commitment to fostering economic cooperation and regional integration within the EAC.
This exhibition offers a clear indication of South Sudan’s growing role in East African trade, with benefits expected to reverberate across the regional market, particularly for small and medium enterprises looking to expand their reach.
The East African Community promoting the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by bringing together different artisans from all the Partner States under the annual East African Community Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Trade Fair formally known as the EAC Jua Kali Nguvu Kazi Exhibition. The Trade Fair is organized by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the Confederation of Micro and Small Enterprises Organization (CMSEO – EA) and the Partner States.
The first Trade Fair was held in Arusha in November 1999 during the historic event of signing of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community.
Since then, annual rotational exhibitions have been held in Nairobi (2000 and 2001), Kampala (2002), Dar-es-Salaam (2003), Mombasa (2004), Kampala (2005), Dar es Salaam (2006), Nairobi (2007), Kigali (2008) Dar es Salaam (2009), Kampala (2011), Bujumbura (2012), Nairobi (2013), Kigali (2014), Dar es Salaam 2015), Kampala (2016), Bujumbura (2017), Eldoret (2018), Kigali (2019), Mwanza (2021), Kampala (2022) and Bujumbura (2023). The event is mainly aimed at bolstering trading relations and empowering traders across the East African region.
This exhibition offers a clear indication of South Sudan’s growing role in East African trade, with benefits expected to reverberate across the regional market, particularly for small and medium enterprises looking to expand their reach.
