The Republic of South Sudan appointed its national members to the Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI) Regional Task Force for Trade Facilitation. This is a regional body composed of representatives from Customs and the Ministries of Finance, Trade, and Transport from each HoAI country established by the Ministers of Finances of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia through a Joint Declaration adopted on 8th August 2022.
The Declaration was endorsed on 13 October 2022 by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of South Sudan through the signature of a specific Addendum. The Task Force will prepare a series of concept notes in the area of customs, trade, and transport facilitation aimed at increasing economic convergence and regional integration among the countries members of the Initiative, by building on the measures identified in the HoAI Trade Facilitation Roadmap 2022-2025. Once completed, the concept notes will be submitted to the Developing Partners who support the Initiative (African Development Bank, European Union, and World Bank) to mobilize the financial and technical assistance needed for the launch and implementation of the activities described therein.
So far, three HoAI countries (Djibouti, Ethiopia, and South Sudan) completed the designation of the members of the Task Force, while similar designations are well-advanced in Kenya and Somalia.
