Freight Forwarders Unveil New Constitution to Boost Industry Standards

By Madrama James

The Freight Forwarders Association has amended its constitution to enhance the operations and governance of the freight forwarding industry. The updated constitution was launched during a lively assembly at the conference held in Palm Africa Juba on Friday, October 11, 2024.

The 32-page document aims to redefine standards, improve transparency, and foster collaboration among members in a global market. Gabriel Majak Abui, representing the Directorate of the Workers Trade Union and Employers Association, called on all levels of government to support and protect the newly launched constitution.

“The Workers’ Trade Union Act 2013 and Labour Act 2017, in which Article 10 of the Workers’ Trade Union Act says the Workers’ Trade Union and Labour Federation are to be independent of government at every level, be self-governing and not subject to control by the political party or ideological, religious grouping. On this note, I remind our government at its levels to protect its constitutional rights by not interfering in the affairs of the unions and Employers Association.”

 

According to Mawa Moses, President of the South Sudan Freight Forwarders Association, the absence of this crucial document has long created a vacuum in the country’s trade facilitation process.

“The Freight Forwarders Association in South Sudan has been in a vacuum for a long time. All along since the birth of this country in 2011, and before even the birth of this country, South Sudan, in 2006 up to 2010, we had not been working in the conduct to the need of the trade facilitation processes. When I talk about the trade facilitation processes, I talk about managing imports and exports in regards to customs rules and regulations.”

The document seeks a regional recognition for the association that promotes practices of customs brokers, and freight forwarding services guided by ethical and technical standards.

Deng Daniel Ayuen, SSFFA- Nimule chairperson, cited that the amended constitution will legally protect the agents from addressing their concerns with the line ministries.

 

“Most of our operations are being hindered by the Customs and other government agencies through the introduction of the policies that block our operation, like the licensing policies, like the introduction of other duties that are not either applicable in the Constitution or covered by the financial act. So previously, we used to demonstrate our displeasure with the policies introduced by the government, but at this time now, we are legally registered, and we have the operation that will help protect us from stressing out most of these challenges. So, I can say that the constituents covered us legally to operate and to also show our displeasure towards the policies that even our work.”

Yawa Soso, Director of Trader Facilitation, South Sudan National Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture appealed to the agents to be an eye opener to the government in regulating the skyrocketing prices of commodities in the markets across the country.

“One thing also I want to tell you guys, get a time, enter our market, do window shopping, go to the back of the store, try to buy something. Some shops here in Konyo-Konyo are harsh. Why? Because there is no product. And that’s why you have to be an eye opener to our government, that our market needs more products, otherwise, this price will never go down. But the more product we have, the price automatically will drop. This is the theory of the free economy. The free economy is not a negative price. No, no, no, no, no. Bring more products, and then the price will go automatically down.”

For her part, Christiana Adut, Secretary for Gender, South Sudan Freight Forwarders Association expressed joy over the launching of the amended constitution and asked her female counterpart to join the association to support the nation.

“I would like to call upon the women, ladies, and young girls around the nation to come and join the clearing agents for them to support their livelihoods. Because it’s free to work, you can come and start your own business, you open your own company. As of now, I’m the CEO of Plit-Point Global. I’m the director, and I just started small, but as for now, I’m trying to move ahead. And I encourage the ladies, young girls, to come along and work with us for us to support the nation. Because this problem not only means to uplift everything, but we need to be included and participate.”

Establishing a constitution for freight forwarders in South Sudan is vital for enabling trade, enhancing economic growth, and building a robust logistics sector supporting the country’s development goals.