The Governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil Anthony, has pledged to help prevent tax burdens from adding to the losses of Sudanese traders affected by a major fire at a market in Juba.
The pledge followed a meeting with Mubarak Mahgoub Musa, the Deputy Head of Mission at the Sudanese Embassy in South Sudan.
The fire at the Custom Market destroyed property belonging to both South Sudanese citizens and a large number of Sudanese businesspeople.
Mubarak said the discussions with Governor Adil focused on the aftermath of the “devastated fire outbreak” and thanked the South Sudanese government for its attention to the incident.
He said the two sides had exchanged ideas on how to “prevent such incidents in the future” and that Governor Adil had “presented solutions through safe markets.”
The governor also promised a further meeting to address specific tax challenges facing the Sudanese traders, hoping to open a “new chapter” for them to work in professional and safe environments.
Mubarak further urged the state government to develop plans to encourage skilled Sudanese professionals, such as doctors and engineers already living in Juba, to remain and invest in the city.