H.E. James Wani Igga, Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan and Chairperson of the Economic Cluster, officially opened the 17th East African Procurement Forum in Juba on 11 May 2026. He represented H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit at the opening ceremony, which brought together senior government officials, heads and Chief Executive Officers of public procurement regulatory authorities, procurement professionals, policymakers, development partners and delegates from across the East African Community.

The Forum was hosted by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDAA), in collaboration with the Bank of South Sudan and the East African Procurement Forum Secretariat. It was held at the Bank of South Sudan Conference Hall from 11 to 14 May 2026. The event marked the first time the Republic of South Sudan hosted the regional Forum since joining the East African Community and following the establishment of PPDAA under the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act, 2018.

The four-day Forum was organised under the theme “Enhancing Beneficial Ownership Disclosure in Public Procurement Systems.” The theme reflected the growing regional commitment to improving transparency and integrity by requiring disclosure of the natural persons who ultimately own, control or benefit from companies participating in public procurement.

In his opening remarks, H.E. James Wani Igga emphasised the important role of public procurement in national development, delivery of public services and responsible management of public resources. He reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan to strengthening public procurement institutions, promoting accountability and supporting reforms that enhance fairness, competition and value for money.

The Guest of Honour called upon East African Community Partner States to strengthen cooperation, exchange experiences and develop common approaches for addressing emerging procurement challenges. He also encouraged procurement regulatory authorities to promote the use of technology, strengthen professional standards and ensure that procurement systems contribute effectively to regional integration, economic development and good governance.

Throughout the Forum, delegates shared national experiences and discussed beneficial ownership disclosure, electronic government procurement, procurement professionalisation, sustainable procurement, anti-corruption measures and harmonisation of procurement reforms. The discussions provided a platform for Partner States to identify common challenges and agree on practical regional actions.
The opening ceremony demonstrated South Sudan’s growing role in regional procurement reform and its commitment to working with other East African Community Partner States to promote transparent, accountable and effective public procurement systems.