South Sudan strategising for more foreign trade via Kenya

South Sudan President Salva Kiir paid his Kenyan counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta a two-day visit at the start of this week to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries.

South Sudan’s economy relies on a concentration of oil reserves. Its split from Sudan in the North in 2011 meant that it was cut off from the port and oil infrastructure.Connectivity for the land-locked country was therefore key in the discussions between Kiir and Kenyatta.

Also this week, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio met his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni to “dialogue on closer mutual cooperation, closer integration, agribusiness, export-oriented and value-added economic growth.”

Kenya remains a big economic gateway to the rest of the world, not only for South Sudan, but for the entire East African region .... In the light of this, we've agreed to undertake arrangements that will further facilitate and promote both South Sudan’s imports and export trade via Kenya.

Their discussions resulted into a waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official or service passports.The leader of the West African country talked about his struggle to sell a positive image of Sierra Leone.

President Bio is Uganda to attend the Africa Blockchain Conference.