South Sudan endorses 2 protocols to boost economic growth

By Benjamin Takpiny

JUBA, South Sudan (AA) - South Sudan endorsed two protocols Friday that will boost economic growth, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mayiik Ayii Deng.

“The free movement of persons and livestock will help our economy to grow,” Deng told reporters during a signing ceremony for the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance in the IGAD region.

“We are happy to sign these protocols that were approved by IGAD member states. This is for the Benefit of IGAD countries,” said Deng.

Minister of Animal Resources and Fisheries Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec said the protocols were adopted by the IGAD to guard, organize and manage the movement of livestock within the IGAD region.

“In fact, the cattle have no boundary, they just move and the cattle owners are just moving. So, the member states of IGAD found it good that there is a need to organize livestock movement and this will be for the benefit of all the member states,” said Adigo. “The movement will also be guarded by a health certificate and each member state will be following this because we don’t want cattle from different countries to come and affect the cattle of other countries if they have got diseases.”

IGAD Programme Coordinator for Health and Social Development Division, Mohamed Elduma, said developing the protocol has been a journey that started in 2017 with wide consultations.

“Those two protocols are very important for us for facilitation of movement people and transhumance in the IGAD region and we are happy today to have the signature of South Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs on those protocols, We will move to Uganda and other IGAD member state and at the end, we will come back again to hand over two copies from the two protocols to South Sudan and each country will have two copies”

The IGAD protocols adopted June 24, 2021, aim to promote the free movement of persons and improve regular labor migration and mobility in the IGAD region to enhance regional economic integration, stability and development.