By Zechariah Makuach Maror,
March 30, 2022 — Following a 2005 peace agreement that ended Africa’s longest-running civil war, South Sudan declared independence from Sudan in July 2011. In January 2011, an overwhelming majority of South Sudanese voted to secede and become Africa’s first new country to attain independence through a referendum after 18 years. South Sudan’s ambition of becoming more African and acquisition for broader recognition hasn’t ended with the flying of the flags; the country submitted a slew of applications to regional and international agencies to review its status as a sovereign state. The East African community was one of the inter-governmental organisations South Sudan’s application faced a setback before admission due to the institution’s fragility.
Political instability, weak governance, and corruption impede development in the world’s youngest country one year after independence. Most settlements in South Sudan lack electricity or running water, and the country’s general infrastructure is poor, with barely 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) of paved highways. The country has inadequate telecommunications services though lacking the infrastructure to provide high-speed Internet access, poor human development record and rampant insecurity. The East African Community denied South Sudan’s application to join the blocs for reasons not limited to the above.Â
Denied with glimpse of hope for future membership, at the 14th Ordinary Summit in Nairobi in 2012, the EAC heads of state approved the verification report submitted by the bloc’s Council of Ministers and subsequently authorized the EAC Council of Ministers to commence negotiations with South Sudan, which resulted in full membership four years later. The procedure, which had started following the EAC Council of Ministers meeting in August 2013, took at least four years to finish. South Sudan’s worst level of the institutional abyss—ravaged by conflict over power struggles, economic collapse, and a complete breakdown of human development, coincided with the East African Community’s decision to fully admit the country into the bloc in 2016 as if there were no entrance adherence standards.
Joining for nought and discomfitureÂ
Despite the impulsive rush for South Sudan to join the EAC, many South Sudanese intellectuals expressed opposition to the idea. In 2011, an incognito South Sudanese Member of Parliament was quoted casting doubt on the government’s decision to eagerly rush for the East African Community, saying the crippled economy that is not developed enough to compete with partner states, would turn South Sudan into a “dumping ground” for Kenyan, Tanzanian, and Ugandan exports. He was correct; given the bloc’s goal of broadening and deepening economic, political, social, and cultural integration based on competitiveness, value-added production, trade, and investments, South Sudan is a potential loser in this cut-throat market.
With “alarum” diplomatic efforts by the South Sudan government to join the EAC, and with lacerate approval of South Sudan’s membership by the council, the country’s failure to comply with the bloc’s obligations and duties has disenchanted the partners; failures ranging from insolvency to clear its accumulative arrears totaling more than $27 million, provision of security to none South Sudanese east African citizens subsisting on its soil, and failure to force-effects some judicial verdicts of the East African Court of Justice, the bloc’s jurist wings. All substantiated the excuses of some South Sudanese and bloc’s partners who erstwhile cast doubt on South Sudan’s admission to the bloc.
Comparison and Analysis
It is important to note that East Africa is the home to many South Sudanese before and after the membership, East African countries hosted more than 1.5 million South Sudan nationals, the majority are refugees who rely on humanitarian aid from non-governmental organisations (Uganda and Kenya are home to the majority). They have limited access to land, capital, and skill to defect to the market potential, contrary to the citizens of those respective countries living in South Sudan for business purposes.Â
According to the United Nation Development Program (UNDP), South Sudan’s Human Development Index for 2019 is 0.433, placing it 185th out of 189 countries and territories and spotting it in the poor human development category in the world. Uganda ranked 159th out of 189 countries and territories in the 2019 Human Development Index, with a score of 0.544. Kenya’s HDI value for 2019 is 0.601, placing it 143rd out of 189 countries and territories and placing it in the medium human development category. In comparison to Uganda and Kenya, South Sudan has the lowest index measure on three major dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to information, and a good standard of living, all of which are critical for a competitive market. The assessment depicts that the country is too young to sit at the same table with the bloc’s most powerful economies and expect to be satisfied.
South Sudan doesn’t have the social, economic and political muscle to compete in East Africa’s free trade zone given its poor socio-economic development. South Sudan ranked 161 in total exports ($850 million) in 2020, according to the publicly available data from the Economic Complexity Index (ECI), and does not have more data on the Economic Complexity Index. Uganda was ranked 99 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI -0.97) and 108 in total exports ($5.87 billion) in the same year. Kenya was ranked 80 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI -0.47) and 103 in total exports ($6.52 billion) in the same year. South Sudan ranked 161 in total exports ($850 million) in the same year and does not have data on the Economic Complexity Index.
According to the Economic Complexity Index, Uganda’s exports to South Sudan have climbed at a 46 per cent annualised pace over eight years, from $17.3 million in 2012 to $357 million in 2020. South Sudan’s exports to Uganda grew at a 220 percent yearly pace during the same period, from $7.79 million in 2012 to $86.7 million in 2020. Kenyan exports to South Sudan have climbed at an average rate of 4.5 per cent over five years, from $173 million in 2015 to $216 million in 2020. During the same period, South Sudanese exports to Kenya climbed by 34.9 per cent annually, from $88.7k in 2015 to $396k in 2020. According to the figures above, Uganda and Kenya are more than three poles ahead of South Sudan in terms of interim trade. The data are ascertaining that South Sudan is a dumping ground for Uganda and Kenyan goods.Â
Half-Baked Membership it deservesÂ
The East Africa Monetary Union (EAMU), a transitional mechanism to the East Africa supra-Bank aiming at issuing the single currency expected to be in effect by 2024, is already underway in support of the plans to put the East into a single monetary market. The outlay is expected to mince the national currencies of weak economies and make the market more unified and competitive. The Council directed the Partner State that will host the EAMU institution to cover office rent, office equipment, utilities, and other support for the first two years, as stipulated in the East African Monetary Union Protocol.
Already, a struggle has erupted over whom to host the riches institution, with three bidders vying for the honour: Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. South Sudan’s bid prospects are already hampered by the requirement that no non-shareholders in the East African Development Bank (EADB) be allowed and that if necessary, members of the EADB be legally admitted by purchasing shares. At the time, the bank’s shareholders are the Republics of Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania. Burundi and South Sudan are not members of the East Africa Development Bank.
Because Uganda hosts three Community institutions: the East African Development Bank (EADB), which is charged with promoting sustainable socio-economic development in East Africa by providing development finance, support, and advisory services; and the Civil Aviation Safety (CAS) and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA). Tanzania is the temporary home of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), the Community’s legislative organ, and the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), the Community’s judicial organ, the East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC). With Kenya holding the only rotating presidency, it appears that Kenya would be the favoured bidder to win hosting monetary institutions based on the policy of equitable mutual benefit allocation among members. If South Sudan was economically viable, it would have processed its membership in EADB, thus vying for hosting of the EAMU, due to that impediment South Sudan’s membership in the regional body remain half-baked, flimsy and symbolic.Â
Will South Sudan vie in the East Africa Monetary Unit?
If South Sudan contends to embrace East African monetary unions, the contradiction between aggregate economic efficiency benefits and distributional repercussions could aptly be resolved. Because of the inherent tendency for divergence, the politics inside the EAC must be just perfect for the EAMU to completely take off uniformly and benefit the Partner States, regardless of who is economically strong or weak. South Sudan on its own must focus on adopting and implementing the convergence criteria that can support South Sudan’s economic management through the external imposition of monetary discipline if it wants to join the EAMU or fully benefit from EAC membership.
Conclusion
Given South Sudan’s weak statehood, the EAC should develop a mechanism to strengthen South Sudan’s institutions so that they can effectively perform core institutional functions such as fostering equitable and sustainable economic growth, governing legitimately, ensuring physical security, and delivering basic services. On the other hand, for the bloc to avoid the financial fickle of weak states, they must move quickly to implement the Sectoral Council on Finance and Economic Affairs’ latest Hybrid Model of Financing Budget Policy, which will promote equity, solidarity, and equality; a big economy must pay big and benefit big!
The writer is a South Sudan citizen, Journalist and Activist; he could be reached via zeemakuach@hotmail.comÂ
1 comment
“Opinion: Is South Sudan a Dumping Member of the East Africa Community?”
Mr. Zechariah Makuach Maror,
Your oippion is spot on, however, your opinion went to where South Sudanese so-called intelecturals and loosers, always always go to without giving ‘a solution’. “that South Sudan is the world youngesr nation”. Really? and that South Suanese people want free money, free food and free donations, and you piece sewer calls yourself a South Sudanese Journalist? I will puke, Mr. Zechariah Makuach Maror. Some of us in know against joining East Africa Community (EAC),
Renewing then United Nation MIssions in Sudan (UNMIS) before South Sudan became indpendence 2011, becauses there was no need for it and the UN project in our country, but some of our elders, sternly rebuked us that we were just bunch of young boys, with some bad attitudes towards white people. A then head of the UNSC head, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, a south Korean slity-eyed piece of shit, Ms. Hilde Johnson, then US, foreign policy advisor to Mr. Barack Hussein Obama, Ms, Susan Rice and some of their secret societies, devil worshipers, cabals and agents of the so-called ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT WITHOUT BORDERS, GOVENMENT RUN BY THE NGOS, PEACKEPERS, DONATIONS and HUMAN RIGHTS PIECE OF SHITS
Went and lobyyed the devil in the UNSC council bulding in NEW York, to change then United nations miision in Sudan to United nations miission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The UNMISS mercanries of Indians and South Koreans were brought here to Jonglei, then came and armed ‘Mr. David Yau Yau, Lou Nuers and Gajak Nuers, with arms from Central Kenya towns of Laikipia and Nanyuki. By British mercanaries posing as ‘training for a war in tropics’ Indians were the ones who were used to distribute these weapons on the ground and a few from Abesh (so-called ethiopia) and our cloned so-called Arabs North Sudan.
When then government of Jonglei tried to disarmed Murles, Ms. Hilde Johnson, head of UNMISS, the UN, the NGOs, humanitarain aid, human rights, the US, the UK and their lackeys here in the IGAD and the African Union (the AU), screamed at the top of evil lungs that ‘that the Murles are being targeted by the Dinkas/Jiengs, simply because, they are Murles’.
Mr. Riek Machar was taken yo Lou Nuers told to go and talk to Lou Nuers in 2012, when they wanted to march to Pibor. Mrs. Hilde Johnston, head of UNMISS, the UN, the NGOs, humanitarain aid, human rights, the US, the UK and their lackeys here in the IGAD and the African Union (the AU). Kept quiet, on the 15/12/2015, in Juba. Mr. Riek Machar, Lado Gore, Taban Deng Gai and their allies, staged a coup in two Army baraacks in Juba. the coup was cordinated or managed inside the UNIMISS compound, the US army base in Djibouti, United nations environmental programes (UNEP), in Girgiri, Nairobi, Kenya.
Here in Bor, in so-called UN protection of civillian sites (POCs), Guol Yal Atong (Ming kaman) lakes state, Anasir, Malakal, Bentiu, Mayendit, Juba, Wau Acholdit.
Radios, were used by Mr. Riek Machar and foreign masters, who taken our country and our hostage devil worshipers, secret societies, vermins/parasites/viruses, pests, vampires and cabals as their chess game or footballs to be always usef as their bench marks or theshold to test the water on how much we hate them death*
Some of our elders don’t even know why Kenya capital Nairobi, is called ‘Nairoberry’. There is this funny phrase, ‘lipa pesa tu nyanga nyinyi (pay money to play) fellows—–they always project South Sudan as the most corrupt country on earth. For all I care, that is not true. The devils and secret societies and cabals, aims are always to ‘twist the facts to be falses’ the devil woeshipers, secret societies, vampires and cabals Ultimate broad spectrum (USB) is all about Total Control But the devil worshipers, secret societies, vampires and cabals are going to be bombed OUT OF MAP, once and ONCE AND FOR ALL, Reasons, pure HATRED and RACISM.
Deng Alor Kuol, alledgedly the current South Sudan representative to EAC, should be sacked, but the government of South Sudan must first of all talk to Mr. Deng Lor Kuol, he might throw tantrums like a baby and screams about, corruption, dictatorship, mis use of resources and public funds, when he is part of the sytem he is screaming about?
South Sudan, should terminate the East African Community (the EAC), Pay the the debt owed the EAC in full, it is not a millitary alliance, it is just an economic alliance. Long time ago, they broke it [EAC], because the project behind it was in the in the interest of Tanaznia and Uganda, but it in the interest of some faceless entities in the UK, the US, their evil juus (so-called israelis) attack dogs, their then secret societies, devil worshipers, vampires and cabals in Southern Africa of Portaguese, Dutch (so-called Afrikaans), English people of Mr. Cecil Rhode and devil worshipers and vamipires, of th then so-called Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth?
‘The so-called masters of world and excerpantional human race’ And their Indians, Pakistanis, Nepalese, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans, their evil juus (so-called israelis) attack dogs, their gulf Arab financiers and terror exporters, slaves. Are not our equals, not in the slightests. There is a piece of shoddy NBN, being ‘rolled out in Southern Africa, here in East Africa by India, the UK and the US There are some lowly informed South Sudanese piece of sewers who always like to sign things, without reading ‘the fine prints’ of what they are signing for. South Sudanese in the know are telling you lowly piece of low lives, never sign South Sudan and the South Sudanese people onto this *India, the UK and the US NBN’ cheap and dirty scam. Let Southern African Bantuses,Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda or democratic repuplic of Congo (DRC) sign their sorry arses onto NBN scams And leave South Sudan and South Sudanese people out it
The data being collected from East Africa, Southern Africa countries’ cititzens and their countries. Just go direct to *the US, the UK and India’
Counttries like Kenya even often brags about Kenya’ technology prowess and capabilities, oh really? I ddon’t think so. What technology or capabilties does Kenya of all countries has? M-Pesa? That is what the scammers use around the world, they can scamm you on the other end of Mobile Phone, and get away with it. And your data had already been collected by scammers, banking cartels, national security agents, the police, special Opecial Operations (OPs), and the person (s), you intended to send the money to, his her data is also taken. Even ‘gutter journanlists’ just ganged up with the devil worshipers, secret societies,vampires and cabals, tapped their ‘celeberities and oppenents phone, homes or offices and other people phones
These days the devils, evils, secret societies, vampires and cabals have changed their demonic languages, they called it ‘gaslighting’. *’Surreptiously stalking their victims, break into their victims homes, phones and harass their victims, do their evil and cheap intrigues in front of their victims, play outragous propaganda about their victims to others and even their victims family members and so on, the end game, to break down the victim (s), and then the victim will bow down to the devil worshipers, secret societies, vampires and cabals, demands.
That is what is always over South Sudan and the South Sudanese people, AFRICAN UNITY and REGIONAL INTEGRATION, by arse, that is not under the sun, or even in million years, I will, South Sudan is not going to ccupy Kenya, kill all the Bantuses, white people, Indians, Arabs, evil juus (so-called israelis) attack dogs and destroy all Kobils and Kenols Reason pure HATRED and RACISM. Vermins/parasites/viruses/pests, breed like gyurue/pigs or rabbits, and think other countries are their North Eastern or Somalians, they always play games and their masters in the US, the UK , Abeshas (so-called ethiopian) prostittutes, their evil juus (so-called israelis) attack dogs.
Living over the backs of other people and their countries is has never been a good idea.
In other countries. where people are way way too well ahead these creeps cheap and dirty intrigues. The devil worshipers, evils, secret societies, vampires and cabals, game is over. They are going to be WIPED OUT MAP, ONCE AND FOR ALL, reasons, pure HATRED and RACISM.
Here is another one. The US, the UK and their allies, want to be supplying genetically engineered maized, beans, rice, sorghum, beef from the US, the UK, Cananda, their allies like Australia, and then come and sell their bullshits, to their Bantuses, pieces of shits and used those nonsense as their ‘leverage over Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Botwana, Zamabia, Malawi, Angola, Uganda, Rwanda, Abesh (so-called ethiopia), Uganda, Democratic republic of Congo (DRC) et al. South Sudan and the South Sudanese people are ‘projected as the most poorests people some kinds of shifty of shifty data, with no truth would just be put lowly educted sewers who don’t even know ‘what statistic and data is’
Their graduates in forth rates universities, in Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Abesh (so-called ethiopia) prostitute, our cloned so-called Arab North Sudan, the devil worshipers, secret societies, vampires and cabals who always called South Sudan and South Sudanese people their energy by these pieces of sewers. Have been plainly informed that South Sudan had long since madea deal with China; the IGAD, the African Union (the AU), The US, the UK, Norway, the UN, their sleazy NGOs, UNMISS of Indians, Pakistanis, Nepalese, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans, Italians, Irish, evil juus (so-called israeli) attack dog, their gulf Arabs states’ terror exporters and financiers, the UN, their sleazy, gays, lesbians. Go home in peace. There is damn oil left in Saudi Arab, UAE and Qatar. Only here in South Sudan and we are going to switch off. And let US and our cloned so-called Arabs North Sudan play ball again like 2012, when Panthou/Aliny and Keresana were walked over the SPLA and turned off the pipeline.
The US, the UK, the UN and their lackeys here in the IGAD and the African Union (the AU), screamed at the tops of evil lungs that South Sudan has ‘inavde a wrong’ fellows, we are the ancient Egypytians, we are masters of long shot war fares. The US, the UK, their UN, NGOs, their evil juus (so-called israelis attack dogs) and their allies have step on the wrong people feet—-us, the Muonyjiengs/Jiengs/Jenges/Jaangs’Dinkas of the Sudan and Egypt>>>>