9 July 2026
Geneva, Switzerland
At the invitation of Aklile Habtemariam, Country Manager for South Sudan and Liberia within the Office for Africa at the International Trade Centre, the South Sudan Codex delegation paid a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Geneva, Switzerland.
The delegation was led by Oiylang Kanuto, Executive Director of the South Sudan National Bureau of Standards, who expressed appreciation to the ITC team for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to the delegation.
During the visit, Hon. Oiylang highlighted the achievements realized under ongoing ITC-supported projects, as well as initiatives currently in progress. He also presented a list of priority areas requiring immediate support to further strengthen South Sudan’s national quality infrastructure.
Mr. Habtemariam and the ITC team commended the vision and leadership of the Executive Director and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a culture of quality. They emphasized ITC’s continued support to SSNBS in key areas, including capacity building, laboratory equipment, policy development, digitalization, and other priority interventions identified by the Bureau. The team further noted that the collaborative roadmap is aligned with the long-term objective of achieving laboratory accreditation.
The ITC team encouraged SSNBS to continue demonstrating tangible results from the ongoing projects, noting that measurable impact would further strengthen the case for sustained support and partnership.
The delegation was also honored by the participation of Dorothy Tembo, Deputy Executive Director of the International Trade Centre. Ms. Tembo reaffirmed ITC’s continued support to SSNBS and emphasized the importance of prioritizing projects that will contribute to the advancement of South Sudan’s quality infrastructure. She congratulated the Executive Director on his appointment and acknowledged the comprehensive presentation delivered by the SSNBS team.
In conclusion, the meeting was highly interactive and productive, fostering constructive dialogue and reinforcing the strong partnership between the International Trade Centre and the South Sudan National Bureau of Standards.