The Republic of South Sudan formally handed over responsibility for hosting the 18th East African Procurement Forum to the Republic of Kenya during the closing ceremony of the 17th East African Procurement Forum in Juba on 14 May 2026.

The ceremonial handover marked the successful conclusion of South Sudan’s tenure as host of the 17th Forum and the continuation of the rotational hosting arrangement among East African Community Partner States. It also reflected the strong regional partnership among public procurement regulatory authorities and their shared commitment to improving public procurement systems across East Africa.

The 17th Forum was hosted by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority of South Sudan, in collaboration with the Bank of South Sudan and the East African Procurement Forum Secretariat. Held from 11 to 14 May 2026, the Forum brought together heads of procurement regulatory authorities, senior government officials, procurement professionals, policymakers, development partners, professional bodies, academic institutions, civil society organisations and private-sector representatives.

During the handover, regional procurement leaders reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the resolutions adopted in Juba. The agreed priorities include strengthening beneficial ownership disclosure, accelerating electronic government procurement, advancing procurement professionalisation, promoting sustainable procurement and improving transparency, accountability and integrity in the management of public resources.

Kenya is expected to host the 18th East African Procurement Forum in October 2026. The next Forum will provide an opportunity for Partner States to review progress made in implementing the Juba resolutions, share national experiences and agree on further regional actions for strengthening public procurement.
The handover demonstrated the continuity and institutional strength of the East African Procurement Forum. It also underscored the importance of collective leadership, knowledge-sharing and sustained cooperation among procurement regulatory authorities in addressing common challenges and advancing procurement reforms across the East African Community.

South Sudan expressed its appreciation to all participating Partner States and stakeholders for their contribution to the success of the 17th Forum and wished Kenya success in preparing for and hosting the next regional gathering.