South Sudan denies restriction on northern merchants

Feb 18, 2007 (JUBA) — The Southern Sudan government denied restricting northern Sudan merchants from doing business in southern Sudan.

The GoSS Minister of Commerce, Trade and Supply, Anthony Makana, said in a statement to Sudan Radio Service that northern Sudanese merchants are not subjected to any restriction. The minister added that they are just facing competition by southern Sudanese traders.

He said that southern Sudanese merchants have learnt business skills during their exile. He also explained the situation by the fact that the new comers have broken a sort of trade monopoly in which the northern traders had used to work.

“When they came back they met with northern traders. To their surprise they found that for the first time southerners are now doing big trading business because the northerners were not used to competition before because they were the only people dominating the business.” he said.

Makana says he expects southern Sudanese traders to “out-compete” northern Sudanese traders soon, especially in Juba.

(ST)