By the time a crate of French beans meant for export leaves a farm in Kirinyaga County in Kenya, it has passed multiple sanitary and phytosanitary checks. The farmer has done everything required to meet the expectations of the destination market. But despite these efforts, unforeseen risks often come after the farm gate. Somewhere between the packhouse and the port, the cargo faces various risks including delays, disruption of the cold chain, inconsistent handling and ultimately, the produce arriving late, warm or spoiled. In a global market where shelf life is money and freshness is reputation, these risks carry serious consequences. This week, public and private sector actors came together to address one of the most pressing challenges in Kenya’s horticultural value chain. The convening was supported by our development partners: the European Union, the Netherlands and Denmark through the Business Environment and Export Enhancement Programme (BEEEP), and the British High Commission in Nairobi through the Regional Economic Development for Investment and Trade (REDIT) programme. It was facilitated by TradeMark Africa. The discussions focused on advancing the export of fresh produce by sea. To this end, stakeholders across Kenya’s horticultural export value chain negotiated a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that could transform how produce moves from farm to ship. The SLA is the first of its kind in scope focusing on export of horticultural produce, covering: Collection at the farm gate Packhouse processing Regulatory and customs clearances Road and rail transport to port Port gate-in, yard operations, and ship loading...

TradeMark Africa (TMA) officially handed over the newly constructed Rusizi II One Stop Border Post (OSBP) to the Government of Rwanda on 5 June 2025. This significant event paves the way for faster and more efficient cross-border trade and transit between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The handover ceremony was led by Rwanda’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Abimana Fidele, marking the completion of the infrastructure works ahead of the facility’s official commissioning. The project is anticipated to significantly reduce border crossing times and trade costs, thereby improving regional connectivity and fostering economic resilience within the Great Lakes region. The OSBP features comprehensive facilities designed to accommodate various border officials, including customs and immigration personnel. It also includes a quarantine facility and advanced e-gate systems. These e-gates are specifically designed to expedite processing for travellers using passports, laissez-passer, or national identity cards. Furthermore, the Rusizi II OSBP is equipped to enhance public health controls and promote climate resilience. It also specifically addresses the needs of informal and small-scale traders, with a particular focus on women. This support includes business development training, market linkages, and improved inspection facilities, ensuring a more inclusive trading environment. TMA’s Country Director for Rwanda highlighted the expected impact of the facility, stating, "One Stop Border Posts have been shown to reduce border crossing times by an average of 70%. We expect Rusizi II to the desired results, benefiting businesses, traders, and communities across the region." Permanent Secretary Abimana echoed this sentiment,...

Le 26 mai 2025, le ministère des Infrastructures et des Équipements de Djibouti et TradeMark Africa (TMA) ont coorganisé un atelier de validation à la frontière de Galafi afin d'examiner et de confirmer les priorités identifiées lors de l'évaluation des besoins pour la modernisation de Galafi et PK51. L'atelier, soutenu par l'Union européenne par l'intermédiaire de l'Agence française de développement (AFD), a réuni des représentants du gouvernement, des experts techniques et des parties prenantes locales. Il a marqué une étape importante vers l'amélioration des infrastructures commerciales le long du corridor Djibouti-Éthiopie. Galafi est l'un des principaux postes-frontières entre Djibouti et l'Éthiopie, avec un trafic quotidien compris entre 1 000 et 2 500 camions. Cependant, il est confronté à plusieurs défis, tels que l'instabilité de l'approvisionnement en électricité, l'absence d'accès à l'eau potable, le manque de places de stationnement et la médiocrité des installations pour le personnel et les commerçants. PK51, situé à 51 kilomètres de la ville de Djibouti, se trouve dans une zone logistique primaire, mais manque également de routes, de systèmes de drainage et de services de base adéquats. Ces problèmes ralentissent le commerce, augmentent les coûts de transport et réduisent les opportunités pour les entreprises et les communautés le long du corridor. Lors de l'atelier, les participants ont validé les mesures visant à améliorer les deux postes-frontières. Il s'agit notamment de construire un poste-frontière unique (OSBP) à Galafi afin d'accélérer les procédures de dédouanement et d'améliorer la coordination entre les agences frontalières. Le plan vise également à...

  On 26th May 2025, Djibouti’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Equipment, alongside TradeMark Africa (TMA), co-hosted a pivotal validation workshop at Galafi Border. The workshop’s primary aim was to review and confirm the priorities identified during a needs assessment for upgrading both Galafi and PK51. Supported by the European Union through the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the event gathered government officials, technical experts, and local stakeholders, marking a significant stride towards enhancing trade infrastructure along the crucial Djibouti–Ethiopia corridor. Galafi, a primary border post connecting Djibouti and Ethiopia, witnesses substantial daily traffic, handling between 1,000 and 2,500 trucks. However, it grapples with numerous challenges, including unreliable electricity, a lack of clean water, limited parking facilities, and substandard amenities for both staff and traders. Similarly, PK51, located 51 kilometres from Djibouti city within a key logistics zone, suffers from inadequate roads, poor drainage, and a scarcity of basic services. These issues collectively impede trade, inflate transport costs, and diminish economic opportunities for businesses and communities reliant on the corridor. During the workshop, participants ratified a series of actions aimed at improving both border points. Key among these is the construction of a One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) at Galafi, designed to accelerate clearance processes and foster better coordination among border agencies. The plan also encompasses improvements to safety, environmental conditions, and working environments for border personnel and users. These upgrades align seamlessly with Djibouti’s Vision 2035, which seeks to position the country as a leading regional trade and logistics hub. The...

As developing countries strive to implement the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), the question of funding—how to mobilise it, how to target it, and how to sustain it—remains at the heart of national conversations. This issue took centre stage during a recent WTO training programme for National Trade Facilitation Committees (NTFCs), where experts from the World Bank and TradeMark Africa (TMA) shared pragmatic approaches to fundraising and resource mobilisation. While the session opened with an overview of traditional funding mechanisms from William Gain, Head of the World Bank’s Trade Facilitation Support Program, a strong regional perspective came from TMA’s Director of Strategy and Partnerships, Anthe Vrijlandt, who joined participants virtually from Nairobi. TMA’s experience, she explained, reveals a clear trend: donors and countries are looking beyond one-off grants and towards smarter, more diversified, and more sustainable financing strategies. TMA’s work across Africa is guided by six core pillars: trade policy and regulatory reform; standards and SPS measures; digital trade; physical infrastructure; green trade; and inclusive trade. These pillars translate into highly targeted interventions, from building one-stop border posts to supporting value chains such as mango or fish exports through improved SPS compliance. Vrijlandt was emphatic that establishing a digital platform is not an end in itself. “A trade portal is meaningless if customs officials don’t understand it, or if traders are not aware of their rights,” she said. For TMA, success means reducing time and cost—measured in concrete terms.1 Independent evaluations have, for instance, shown that TMA’s programmes...

By Lilian Mwai and Andrew Edewa In 2024, Kenya’s fresh vegetable exports to the European Union (EU) declined sharply by 54.7 percent, from 164,100 tonnes to 74,300 tonnes. This reduction in volume led to a corresponding drop in export earnings from Sh50.9 billion to Sh23.4 billion. The decline is largely attributable to the enforcement of stricter EU pesticide regulations, particularly following amendments to Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 of the EU parliament, which delisted over 30 commonly used active substances, severely limiting farmers’ options for crop protection. This downturn represents more than a market contraction; it has triggered significant socio-economic disruption.Many rural households that relied on horticulture for income, food security, and education now face job losses, rising debt burdens, and a retreat from agricultural livelihoods. Nonetheless, Kenya’s horticultural sector retains vast potential if it can meet evolving global compliance demands. From the fertile counties of Makueni and Machakos to the slopes of Murang’a, farmers are producing high-value crops including avocados, mangoes, snow peas and French beans. Yet much of this produce never makes it to market. Instead, it perishes at farm level, rots in transit, or is turned away at ports of entry for failing to meet global sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards. In Makueni County alone, 30 to 40 percent of fresh produce is lost due to weak aggregation, inconsistent grading and inadequate storage. So, while volumes of production remain high, the system to deliver this product in high value global markets is lacking. The regulatory landscape is evolving...

The Government of Uganda has affirmed its commitment to supporting efforts for transforming the country’s fisheries sector through a stronger focus on commercialisation, sustainability and inclusive growth. Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) Permanent Secretary, Maj. Gen (Rtd). David Kasura made the remarks during a meeting with representatives of the AfCFTA Private Sector Development Unit (AfCFTA-PSU) and TradeMark Africa. The two organisations, alongside Mastercard Foundation, are partnering on the 4-year Women and Youth Economic Empowerment in Fisheries Programme, which is designed to unlock economic opportunities across the fisheries which chains.  The TradeMark Africa was represented by Anataria Uwamariya, Director for Business Competitiveness and George Wamae, Programme Manager, while the AfCFTA-PSU was represented by Komla Bissi, Agriculture Lead and Florence Sinyangwe, Women, Youth and MSMEs Lead. Maj. Gen (Rtd). Kasura welcomed the initiative, highlighting that the fisheries sector remains one of the most important economic players in Uganda after coffee, contributing significantly to national food security and employment. However, he underscored that the core challenge lies not in trade but in production, emphasising the urgent need to scale up productivity through responsible practices and fishing technologies that safeguard lake ecosystems. “The lakes are dying gradually due to increased human activities such as pollution and overfishing,” he noted stressing the urgent need to improve productivity by promoting responsible fishing practices, deploying eco-friendly technologies and increasing investments in sustainable aquaculture.  “If you do not support the aspirations of young people, who constitute about 78% of the Ugandan population and who are...

By Ben Mbindah, Safeguarding and Project Risk Officer, TradeMark Africa The disclosure of financial performance of organisations has always been an important tradition to informing investor decision-making. However, in recent years, the additional transparency around the environmental and social impacts for organisations has gained momentum. This shift reflects a growing recognition among companies and institutions globally of the value of environmental safeguards and social responsibility, particularly within the framework of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting. ESG reporting involves communicating a company’s performance and activities in relation to environmental considerations such as climate change, resource utilisation, and pollution. The social aspects entail human rights, labour practices, and community engagement; while governance encompasses corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and ethical business conduct. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected and driven by information and artificial intelligence, transparency has taken on a prominent role. The integration of ESG reporting with traditional financial disclosures is becoming a necessity rather than an option. The introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) by the European Union (EU), which mandates ESG disclosures from both EU-based and some non-EU companies starting from the 2024–2025 financial year, has further highlighted the urgency for organisations to align with such evolving expectations. This regulatory development signals a broader shift in how sustainability is integrated into organisational strategy and reporting. The inclusion of ESG considerations in investment decision-making is not only essential in advancing social and environmental objectives but also proving beneficial to financial performance of organisations. It contributes to building a...

Download the Publication Here  Over the past two decades, non-tariff barriers (NTBs) have emerged as the most persistent and complex challenge to international trade, with their prevalence steadily rising across the world. The East African Community (EAC) has not been immune to this trend, with NTBs continuing to evolve in form and scope, creating significant obstacles to the seamless flow of goods and services across the region. In 2021 alone, NTBs reported for the first time within the EAC accounted for over four percent of the total existing barriers, underscoring the enormity of the problem. In response to this, EAC Partner States have taken steps to address these trade impediments, including the enactment of the EAC Elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers Act, 2017. This legislation provides a structured legal framework for monitoring and resolving NTBs, supported by tools such as the Time-Bound Programme for NTBs elimination and various directives, regulations, and recommendations issued by the EAC Council of Ministers. Despite these efforts, the region has faced a longstanding challenge in quantifying the actual impact of NTBs and, more importantly, the benefits of their removal. Without this data, it is difficult to prioritise interventions and allocate resources effectively. To address this gap, a recent study has developed a model designed to estimate the impact of NTBs within the EAC, with a specific focus on those arising along the Northern and Central transport corridors. The study reviewed existing techniques for measuring the impacts of NTBs, identified specific NTBs in the region responsive to...

Click to Download the Report East Africa’s agricultural trade is evolving, with commodities such as tea, coffee, cereals, and edible vegetables driving exports across the East African Community (EAC) and Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) regions. A new TradeMark Africa report, “Intra-Africa Agricultural Trade 2024,” notes that tea, in particular, stands out as a major export with strong global market performance, while cereals show a mixed trend, with both significant exports and rising imports—especially for staple foods such as maize, rice, and wheat—highlighting the region’s need to supplement local production. Trade within the region remains strong, with Kenya emerging as a central hub, facilitating the movement of goods across both EAC and IGAD countries. Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi primarily engage in intra-regional trade, while Ethiopia’s exports extend beyond the EAC, reaching markets such as Somalia, Djibouti, Egypt, South Africa, and Kenya. Other important trade partners include Egypt, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reinforcing the interconnectedness of Africa’s agricultural markets. However, challenges persist. Trade imbalances, infrastructure gaps, and shifting market demands require urgent policy interventions. Harmonising trade policies, improving infrastructure, and building capacity among producers and exporters will be crucial for sustaining growth. Additionally, diversifying exports, strengthening climate resilience, and enhancing data-sharing mechanisms will ensure that agricultural trade continues to thrive in an increasingly competitive global landscape. With the right strategies in place, East Africa has the potential to solidify its position as a major player in agricultural trade, driving economic development and food security across...