The Problem

Arua District and Vurra Border Post are critical hubs for Uganda’s agricultural exports and cross-border trade with the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Yet women, youth, farmers and small businesses face major barriers that prevent them from benefiting from these opportunities. These include complex and unclear trade and export regulations, corruption and harassment by border and security officials, language barriers, limited internet and customs system access, weak business formalisation, lack of financing and insurance and low awareness of incentives and market opportunities under EAC, COMESA and AfCFTA. These challenges reduce incomes, discourage formal trade and expose traders, especially women and refugees to human rights abuses.

What Zoota and Partners did
In partnership with the Presidential CEO Forum (PCF Uganda), Vurra Freight Forwarders Association, Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda Export Promotion Board, Uganda Registration Services Bureau, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives and the local business community, Zoota Initiative for Development supported and co-convened the PCF Trade Legal Clinic Workshop in Arua on 6 March 2024. The workshops mapped traders, farmers and SMEs across Arua and provided practical training on business formalisation, export requirements, regional and continental trade agreements, financing options, quality standards and value addition. Legal and trade experts responded directly to challenges raised by traders while women and youth were given space to highlight the discrimination and risks they face in cross-border trade.

The impact
The Trade Legal Clinic strengthened the capacity of local traders and farmers to participate in formal and regional markets, improved understanding of EAC and AfCFTA export opportunities and connected businesses directly to government agencies and private-sector institutions. Women and youth traders gained visibility and access to information that is often denied to them while policy issues affecting border operations, corruption, language barriers and market access were documented for action at national level. This work is helping to unlock Arua’s potential as a regional export hub, increase incomes for small producers and traders and promote safer, more transparent and inclusive cross-border trade in Northern Uganda.