Addressing Africa’s Demographic Dividend

World Trade Organisation: Agricultural Issues for Africa

The Africa Competitiveness Report 2013, the fourth report jointly published by our organizations, comes out at a time when international interest in Africa is surging and the continent is seen both as an investment destination of choice and as a region marked by greater prosperity and development.

Welcome to the third annual edition of Ernst & Young’s Africa attractiveness survey. We release this at a time of ongoing uncertainty in the global economy, with the Eurozone in particular continuing to struggle. In contrast,economic growth across much of Africa has remained robust, with a number of our economies still among the fastest growing in the world. This continues a remarkable decade of growth and development, with not only economic, but also social and political indicators all trending in the right direction.

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...