Ethiopia and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) of South Sudan have renewed their commitment to formalizing cross-border trade and strengthening security cooperation. This agreement comes as both nations strive to transition from unregulated, informal trade practices to a structured, legal economic partnership.
The agreement, renewed on July 1, 2026, was reached during a high-level discussion between Ethiopia’s Minister of Trade and Regional Integration and the Chief Administrator of South Sudan’s Greater Pibor Administrative Area, Boyoy Gola. Both sides agreed to prioritize this transition to a formal economic framework.
The discussions focused on implementing a border trade protocol designed to benefit communities living near the two countries’ borders. Historically, geographically, and culturally linked, Ethiopia and South Sudan have long recognized their significant economic and trade potential. However, the region has been frequently challenged by illicit cross-border trade activities.
The agreement also emphasizes the importance of “people-to-people” connections. By extending this engagement to the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, both nations intend to create an administrative framework that addresses the specific needs of border residents. Officials believe this will improve administrative coordination and enhance access to government services and security guarantees for traders and pastoralists.
Minister Kassahun Gofe emphasized the commitment to improving conditions for border communities. “We have agreed to prioritize the living conditions of our border communities by properly implementing the border trade protocol,” he stated. “Our commitment is to replace informal and dangerous trading practices with legal channels that ensure our citizens receive the services and prosperity they deserve.”
For the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, this partnership is a crucial step toward sustainable development. By legalizing trade, both countries seek to curb the smuggling of illicit goods, which has previously contributed to instability and exacerbated conflict in the area. The agreement aligns with broader regional initiatives aimed at integrating the area through unified trade policies and improved transport logistics.
Officials believe this administrative coordination will enhance government service accessibility for traders and pastoralists and strengthen security guarantees across the 1,114-kilometer border. This step is being taken as Ethiopia implements an “Integrated Border Management” master plan aimed at protecting its borders and facilitating trade activities.
Under this plan, Ethiopia is strengthening monitoring operations, simplifying customs procedures, and building the institutional capacity of its border agencies. The initiative represents a broader policy shift from viewing borders solely as security barriers to seeing them as development corridors and gateways to shared prosperity.
The Ethiopia-South Sudan border area has long been fraught with complex challenges. According to the Wilson Center in the U.S., communities along this border face cross-border communal conflicts, exacerbated by instability in South Sudan and limited economic participation in Ethiopia. Other factors include border insurgents involved in illegal trade, child abductions, cattle rustling, and arms trafficking.
The Greater Pibor Administrative Area, established through negotiations between the South Sudanese government and the Cobra Faction in 2014, has historically faced significant obstacles to economic development, including lack of security, poor infrastructure, and limited access to markets. However, in recent years, concerted efforts by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and other partners have begun to change the situation.
The agreement between Ethiopia and the GPAA continues recent engagement between the two countries to strengthen economic cooperation. In June 2026, South Sudan’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Labanya Margaret Mathia, and Ethiopian Ambassador Delil Kedir Bushra met in Juba to discuss building and improving trade routes along their shared border.
The discussions highlighted the necessity of facilitating the movement of goods and boosting cross-border trade.
The importance of infrastructure development for trade facilitation cannot be overstated. Routes connecting Boma and Pibor to Ethiopia, such as Pochala-Gilo and Jebel Raat-Dimo, have long been closed or difficult to access.
Stakeholders argue that opening these routes will encourage traders and improve the flow of goods between the two countries. In particular, the opening of the Raat border crossing has been identified as a priority, as it could significantly reduce market prices for fish and other goods.
The Greater Pibor Administrative Area encompasses two livelihood zones: a semi-pastoralist zone in the southeast and a zone characterized by maize, barley, fishing, and natural resources. In Pibor County, an estimated 40% of households are engaged in farming, with pastoralism and agriculture serving as the primary sources of livelihood for the community.
