South Sudan is dumping ground for counterfeit goods- says Bureau of Standards

South Sudan’s National Bureau of Standards chief said on Tuesday that her country is now dumping ground for all types of counterfeit goods from neighboring Uganda.

“We said majority of them (goods) are expired, sub-standard and others counterfeit and this is affecting our economy, it is affecting our health,” Mary Gordon Muortat said during the opening of the South Sudan-Uganda Forum in Juba.

Gordon urged Ugandan authorities to work collectively with traders to curb import of counterfeits.

“If we don’t implement the standard then we in South Sudan are victims because a lot of goods are coming through Uganda,” she said.

Elly Twineyo Kamugisha, Executive Director of Uganda Export Promotion Board, said they will ensure goods coming to South Sudan meet approved standards.

“We will have a thorough discussion with officials from the government of South Sudan to understand this move and I assure you it will be handled,” Twineyo said.

In November last year, over 500 bags of sorghum meant for the South Sudan Peoples Defense Forces (SSPDF) were impounded at the border with Uganda.

South Sudan relies entirely on Kenya and Uganda for all of its imports.

The goods imported from particularly Uganda include, tomatoes, onions, maize flour, rice, cooking oil, dairy products, cement, mobile phones and steel products.