The South Sudan Jobs Creation and Trade Development Project

BACKGROUND

The South Sudan Jobs Creation and Trade Development Project emanates from the technical assistance request of the Government of South Sudan. It aims to provide an integrated and holistic assistance for the development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the fruits and vegetables value chains to create economic and employment opportunities for South Sudanese population targeted under the project.

The project addresses the main challenges of the value chains by:

• improving production, processing and handling practices;
• building capacities of MSMEs to comply with mandatory market requirements and standards for enhanced access to markets;
• enhancing human skills as well as strengthening producer cooperatives.

It will also tackle the employment problems of youth and women by building entrepreneurship and business management capacities and implementing innovative schemes to facilitate access to finance for youth entrepreneurs and youth-owned businesses.

OBJECTIVES

The project has an overall objective of improving the livelihoods of targeted South Sudanese populations through the creation of jobs and income. It has specific objectives of improving the competitiveness of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and increasing employment opportunities for the South Sudanese labour force, with a focus on youth and women.

EXPECTED RESULTS

To improve enterprise competitiveness and employment opportunities, the project aims to deliver four main results, including:

• establishment of MSME competitiveness baseline data and a roadmap for the development of the target value chains;
• improved productive capacities and compliance to standards for MSMEs engaged in the targeted value chains;
• increased market linkages for the MSMEs; and
• improved employability and entrepreneurship capacity for the South Sudanese labour force, focussing on youth and women.

BENEFICIARIES

The target beneficiaries of the project are micro, small and medium sized enterprises; South Sudanese labour force, including youth and women; and sector-based cooperatives and associations. The project will support MSMEs that operate businesses in the fruit and vegetables subsector. Enterprises in both rural and urban areas will be benefiting from the project’s intervention. Youth between 15 and 34 years of age will be primary beneficiaries of the project.

PROJECT LOCATIONS

The project will be implemented in the following locations of the Central Equatoria and the Western Equatoria States:

SDGs TARGETED

The project contributes to four main Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely SDG 2, SDG 8, SGD 10 and SDG 13.

It contributes to the doubling of productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women (SDG 2, target 2.3.)

It helps the achievement of productive employment and creation of decent employment opportunities for women and men, including young people of South Sudan (SDG 8, target 8.5)

It will support efforts of achieving income growth of the bottom 40% (SDG 10, target 10.1)

It contributes to the green economy by raising awareness & building capacity of institutions and MSMEs on climate change mitigation and adaptation

ABOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION

The European Union (EU), represented by its Delegation to South Sudan, aims at strengthening EU-South Sudan relations by contributing to progressing peace, stability and development in South Sudan, in line with the EU's Global Strategy, the principles and values at the core of the Union’s foreign policy. The EU Delegation works with government bodies, parties, civil society, faith based and other stakeholders as well as EU member states and international and regional partners including the United Nations, and the African Union.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC's mission is to foster inclusive and sustainable growth and development through trade and international business development.

Its aim is for businesses in developing countries to become more competitive in global markets, speeding economic development and contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Global Goals for sustainable development.

ITC implements the project in close collaboration with the Government of South Sudan. The Ministry of Trade and Industry is the primary coordinating focal point institution for the project, mobilizing relevant stakeholders across the country.

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