South Sudan Denies Rebel Link to Charcoal Trade as Ugandan Traders Count Heavy Losses

South Sudanese authorities have categorically dismissed allegations that the lucrative charcoal trade across their shared border is being used to finance illegal rebel activities. The assurance comes at a time when numerous traders are counting substantial losses as bags of charcoal continue to rot in the borderlands.

For a long time, security and administrative officials in Uganda have justified strict enforcement actions and trade restrictions by pointing to claims from South Sudan. These claims previously suggested that the harvesting and trade of forest products in Central Equatorial State regions—including Yei, Morobo, and Kajo-Keji counties—were empowering armed anti-government factions.

However, local administrators are pushing back against these security narratives. Peter Jackson Golo, the Administrator of Kerwa Boma in Kajo-Keji County, explicitly stated that accusations linking the charcoal trade to rebel insurgency are entirely false.

Meanwhile, hundreds of business operators remain caught in regulatory limbo. Reports indicate that hundreds of traders have been heavily affected, with millions of shillings worth of stock stranded and deteriorating near the border as regional authorities deliberate on environmental policies and trade rules.

The standoff highlights the complex intersection of environmental conservation, regional security, and cross-border livelihoods. While governments push for stricter controls over forest products and clean energy transitions, traders caught in the middle emphasize the urgent need for clearer diplomatic frameworks and economic protection.

For more details on this developing story, read the full report on the Daily Monitor.