( JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN ) – South Sudan has become a full member of the Maritime Organisation of Eastern, Southern and Northern Africa (MOESNA), a move aimed at reducing the country’s trade isolation and improving access to international markets.
The Ministry of Transport announced the membership on 15th October 2026, following the organisation’s 10th Assembly of Ministers held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania .
South Sudan is landlocked and relies on transport routes through neighbouring countries to reach seaports. Membership of MOESNA provides a platform for cooperation on shipping, freight logistics and trade facilitation, although immediate economic benefits are yet to be seen .
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport Paul Dhel Gum said South Sudan does not consider itself economically isolated despite its geography.
“South Sudan is geographically landlocked, but do not consider ourselves economically isolated. Our country is strategically positioned at the intersection of Eastern and Central Africa, with enormous opportunities for trade, investment, and regional connectivity,” Gum said .
Gum said South Sudan was committed to supporting the organisation and recognised that membership brought both benefits and obligations .
Yowa Soso, chair of the Shippers’ Council at the South Sudan Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the admission, saying it could strengthen regional trade.
“South Sudan has taken up all the steps to join the MOESNA, and it’s going to be great. Whereby now, the region can be able to have their own shipping line, and by having the shipping line, it means that it’s going to improve trade,” Soso said .
Soso also said membership could create opportunities for South Sudan to explore transport connections through the Nile .
The assembly agreed to pursue the establishment of a regional maritime university, with Tanzania tasked with leading the initiative. Members also discussed strengthening intra African trade and developing a regional maritime shipping line .
For South Sudan, membership offers a platform to work with regional partners on shipping and logistics. Whether it reduces transport costs and improves access to global markets will depend on the agreements and transport links developed through that cooperation.
MOESNA traces its origins to 1967, when Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia established the Intergovernmental Standing Committee on Shipping. The organisation was rebranded as MOESNA in 2024 to reflect its expanded geographical scope.
The organisation’s mandate covers promotion, protection and coordination of shipping and maritime interests of member states across Eastern, Southern and Northern Afric.
