South Sudan Minister of Trade and Industry Atong Kuol Manyang has cancelled all outstanding import licenses issued from 1st July 2024 up to date, citing corruption in the process.
According to the ministerial order read out on the state-owned television channel SSBC, the minister halted the licensing of the importer as investigations continue. “Pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 105/2025 and Article 114 (1), (2)(b), read together with Section 18 (1)(a)(b), (2), of the Import and Export Act 2012 of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan (2011, as amended), I, Hon. Atong Kuol Manyang Juuk, Minister of Trade and Industry, do hereby order the cancellation and recall of all unused import licenses issued from 1st July 2024 up to date, for the purpose of verification and subsequent replacement,” the order partly read.
Minister Atong expressed that the decision is meant to ensure transparency in the process of issuing the import licenses.
She claimed that reports indicated that there were cases of corruption in the issuing of licenses in July; hence, there is a need to scrutinize.
“This measure is necessitated by credible reports of procedural irregularities in the issuance of the aforementioned licenses,” she said.
The minister reiterated that any individual found guilty of malpractices must face the law.
“Any individual found to have unlawfully issued or obtained such licenses shall be subject to administrative and legal action in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations,” she said.
“All import licenses shall be issued exclusively through the Ministry’s Headquarters in Juba in order to uphold transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity,” she added.
The minister urged all the importers to cease using illegal means to acquire licenses, citing that such an act is punishable by law.
The ministerial order followed a series of reports of logging, with the importers claiming to have acquired all the necessary import licenses from the National Ministry of Trade.
It is not yet clear whether the order is related to such a report or different reports of malpractices.
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