The National Implementation Unit of Tier I Project for South Sudan, funded by Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was inaugurated on Tuesday 11 June, in the premises of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and East African Community (EAC) Affairs.

“The Tier 1 project under the Enhanced Integration Framework supported by UNDP will help South Sudan to enhance the institutional capacity of the ministry of trade and related institutions to better coordinate and integrate trade issues into the country’s development agenda,” stated Hon. Agak Achuil Lual, First Undersecretary at Ministry of Trade and East African Community Affairs.

Hon. Lual added: “The (trade) ministry aims to create enabling environment for mainstreaming trade into the national agenda, build the capacity of the staff of the ministry and develop laws and policies.

Tier I Project will be implemented over three years and will support greater in-country capacity and ownership with the objectives of building human resource capacity, support national implementation arrangements, update the Diagnostics Trade Integration Study (DTIS), facilitate and support mainstreaming trade actions.

During the inauguration ceremony, UNDP handed over a variety of equipment and assets to the Ministry of Trade that comprised computers, vehicle, cameras and furniture to enable both human and institutional capacity building as South Sudan seeks to build its competitive advantage in both regional and global trade.

Elliman Jange, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, said the inauguration of the National Implementation Unit is in line with the progressive vision of South Sudan to stimulate the economy and leverage opportunities through local, regional and international trade for delivering goods and development.

This important project we are launching today is supported by the EIF, a multi-lateral facility dedicated to assisting least developed countries to use trade as an engine of growth, social development and poverty eradication,” Elliman stated.

“Through this project, the government of South Sudan will receive adequate technical assistance, capacity building including issues related to trade negotiation, World Trade Accession and engagement with the East African Community (EAC),” he added.

In October 2014, the Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) for South Sudan was validated. The DTIS is the cornerstone to the EIF program as it forms the basis for eligibility to the program. Last year on 23 October, the EIF Tier I was launched, kicking off the official commencement of project implementation.