South Sudan orders new tracking measures for transit cargo

The cargo tracking note is designed to provide local customs authorities with the required information and visibility about the import shipment. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

By ANTHONY KITIMO

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About 1.5 million metric tonnes of cargo passing through Mombasa port to South Sudan will have to be tagged before leaving the country in measures to control illegal, undeclared goods.

South Sudan Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Bak Barnaba Chol has informed shippers on the new tracking measures by Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN).

The country has appointed Invesco Uganda Ltd, under supervision by the Customs Revenue Division of South Sudan Revenue Authority, to start and run the programme.

“The sole purpose of the ECTN is to help the government of South Sudan to maximise its revenue collection by remedying the challenges of underestimation, undervaluation, diversion of cargo and round tripping,” Dr Chol said.

Read: Uganda adds Juba to its e-cargo tracking set

All importers and exporters will pay the agent’s service charge of $350. ECTN also known as Waiver Certificate is a mandatory shipping document for importing cargo to 25 African countries.

The cargo tracking note is designed to provide local customs authorities with the required information and visibility about the import shipment.

But Kenyan clearing and forwarding agents have said it will increase the cost of transport and that payments should be made to the South Sudan agents not Kenyan brokers.

Kenya International Freight and Warehouse Association (Kifwa) chair Roy Mwanthi said: “We strongly objected to any suggestion of using Kenyan agents in processing and collection of the ECTN service charge as it will lead to massive delays in clearance of South Sudan cargo, leading to high demurrage and truck detention charges which at the end will be borne by Kenyan agents,” said Mr Mwanthi.

South Sudan has been struggling with undeclared entry of goods, some of which are expired while others are of substandard quality. For example, in 2022, the National Ministry of Trade and Industry flagged illegal entry of goods.

In October last year, the National Bureau of Standards impounded 62 trucks allegedly carrying aflatoxin grains.

South Sudan exports more than 1.5 million metric tonnes of goods through Uganda from the port of Mombasa annually.