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...

Reflections from the EU-Kenya Business Forum 2025  At this week’s EU-Kenya Business Forum in Nairobi, TMA’s Director for Digital Trade, Erick Sirali, led a conversation on how digitalisation is transforming customs and trade facilitation. There was an acknowledgement that while Africa has made progress in digitalisation, the work ahead is considerable. We are talking, fragmented systems, redundant processes, and limited data-sharing that continue to hold us back. Africa’s vision for seamless cross-border trade, No Stop Borders, future, that featured heavily in TMA’s Africa Trade Development Forum in Kigali in December 2024, demands fast-tracked reforms that support cross-border data flows and data governance. A compelling real-life example was presented by Billy Ngumi of KenTrade who painted a picture of how things used to be at Moyale, the Kenya–Ethiopia border before the Kenya National Electronic Single Window was implemented. He said that, clearing agents in Moyale would crisscross Marsabit County, collecting customs documents, then travel the 777 kilometres to Nairobi, which fyi, is an 11-hour one-way trip, just to submit paperwork, make payments and get approvals. Then, they’d return to Moyale to deliver the documents to traders. The entire cycle could take over a week, just to move goods from Ethiopia into Kenya. But now, with Kenya National Single Window System, agents can apply, pay and receive approvals online. What once took days, and a road trip now takes minutes and a few clicks. Trade moves faster. Paperwork is instant. And a trader in Moyale doesn’t have to wait for someone to make a cross-country trip to Nairobi. In the real life...

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...

Ministers Francis Mwebesa and Wilson Mbadi (left and second from left) with TMA Uganda Country Director Anna Nambooze and Bagonza (second from right and right) The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, Uganda, and TradeMark Africa convened 190 participants drawn from government, the private sector, civil society, and international organizations on 26 and 27 March, 2025, to discuss and evaluate the current state of trade in Uganda. The Uganda Trade Review Conference 2025, themed Leveraging Trade: Towards Uganda’s 10-Fold Growth Strategy, focused on identifying challenges and opportunities in the trade sector. The conference aimed to develop actionable strategies to enhance Uganda’s trade performance, foster economic growth, and promote sustainable development by empowering local businesses to access global markets. Participants highlighted export growth and diversification beyond traditional commodities like coffee, tea, and tobacco, now including manufactured goods, processed foods, and minerals. This diversification has increased the need for industrial parks and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to expand production capacity. Additionally, increased trade agreements within the East African Community (EAC), COMESA, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) have significantly boosted market access. Lynette Bagonza, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, emphasized the importance of shifting from raw exports to processed goods that fetch higher prices in international markets. “Our manufacturing program aims to increase manufactured exports from 15 percent in 2021 to 20 percent by 2029. We must ensure our goods meet global standards and are competitive,” she stated. Regarding infrastructure development, participants identified the...

TradeMark Africa (TMA) and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) General Directorate of Customs and Excise (DGDA) on 18 March 2025 convened a steering committee meeting in Nairobi to review ongoing trade facilitation projects in the country. A major focus of the discussions included the integration of the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS), which spans from Mombasa to Mahagi border, with the DRC’s national Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS), covering Mahagi to the country’s hinterland and beyond its border in the central Africa region. The meeting was led by TMA’s Deputy CEO, Allen Asiimwe, and Director of Strategy and Partnerships, Anthe Vrijlandt, alongside DGDA’s Assistant Deputy Director, Mabaya Jean Paul, who represented the Director General. If all goes according to plan, the integration of RECTS and ECTS will represent a major step in the DRC’s trade modernisation efforts and its deeper integration into the East African Community (EAC). The RECTS system enhances cargo security along the Northern Corridor, covering trade routes from the Port of Mombasa through Uganda, Rwanda, and into the DRC. By minimising delays, it improves truck turnaround times and lowers business costs. The DRC’s national ECTS, developed and adopted following a successful pilot phase in 2019, ensures that transit goods reach their intended destinations within central Africa. This prevents cargo diversion to unauthorised locations and combats customs duty and import tax evasion. The system uses electronic trackers affixed to containers upon entry into the DRC, which are then removed upon exit, providing real-time visibility of cargo...

Stakeholders participating at the Cote d'Ivoire validation workshop in Abidjan on 12 March 2025. The Government of Côte d'Ivoire, in collaboration with TradeMark Africa (TMA), continues to advance trade facilitation through various strategic engagements with partners in the country and the West Africa region. As part of these ongoing efforts, a workshop was held in Abidjan on 12 March 2025 to validate a study on the restructuring of an external trade hub and specialised warehouses at major border posts. The initiative will facilitate the aggregation, processing, and storage of cereals for export. Presided over by Mr. Serge Martial Bombo, standing in for the Director General of Foreign Trade, the workshop sought to validate the study’s findings and incorporate stakeholders’ insights on the proposed recommendations. Mr. Bombo, who serves as Secretary General of the National Export Council, reiterated the critical need for modernising trade infrastructure to improve efficiency and accessibility. He noted that the Government’s objective is to develop efficient and accessible trade infrastructure that aligns with international standards to mitigate post-harvest losses, enhance trade logistics, and stimulate economic growth. Commissioned by TradeMark Africa and conducted by Artelia, a consulting firm, the study reflects the National Export Council’s commitment to establishing specialised warehouses at Côte d'Ivoire’s eight land borders. These locations include the Poro, Djuablin, Tonpki, Gbêkê, South Comoé, and Tchologo regions, with pilot sites studied in Bouaké (Adjouassou), Ferkessédougou (Nambonkaha), and the Noé border—an important trade gateway between Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana—currently undergoing critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance efficiency, security,...

Une partie de la délégation djiboutienne avec le Secrétaire Exécutif du NCTTCA La position unique de Djibouti au carrefour de l'Afrique, du Moyen-Orient et des routes commerciales mondiales en a fait une plaque tournante majeure pour le commerce régional et international. En tant que principale porte d'entrée pour le commerce éthiopien, le corridor Djibouti-Éthiopie traite environ 95 % des importations et des exportations de l'Éthiopie. Malgré son infrastructure portuaire de classe mondiale, les inefficacités en matière de facilitation du commerce, de coordination institutionnelle et de logistique des transports continuent de ralentir les échanges, entraînant des coûts élevés, des temps de transit longs et des pertes d'opportunités économiques pour les entreprises et les commerçants qui dépendent du corridor. Pour relever ces défis, Djibouti et l'Éthiopie sont en train de créer une autorité de gestion du corridor et un observatoire des transports. L'autorité de gestion du corridor soutiendra la coordination des institutions, s'attaquera aux goulets d'étranglement commerciaux et améliorera la circulation des marchandises. Parallèlement, l'Observatoire des transports collectera et analysera des données commerciales en temps réel, ce qui permettra aux autorités de contrôler les performances, d'identifier les inefficacités et de mettre en œuvre des solutions opportunes. Ensemble, ces initiatives permettront de réduire les coûts commerciaux, de raccourcir les temps de transit et d'améliorer la compétitivité des entreprises opérant le long du corridor. Pour mettre en place un système efficace, Djibouti s'inspire des modèles de gestion des corridors commerciaux qui ont fait leurs preuves en Afrique de l'Est. Une équipe technique a récemment...

  Group photo of the Djibouti delegation with MAGERWA staff Djibouti’s unique position at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East, and global trade routes has made it a major hub for regional and international trade. As the main gateway for Ethiopia’s trade, the Djibouti-Ethiopia corridor handles about 95 percent of Ethiopia’s imports and exports. Despite its world-class port infrastructure, inefficiencies in trade facilitation, institutional coordination, and transport logistics continue to slow trade, leading to high costs, long transit times, and lost economic opportunities for businesses and traders that rely on the corridor. To address these challenges, Djibouti and Ethiopia are in the process of creating a Corridor Management Authority and a Transport Observatory. The Corridor Management Authority will support coordination of institutions, address trade bottlenecks, and improve the movement of goods. At the same time, the Transport Observatory will collect and analyze real-time trade data, enabling authorities to monitor performance, identify inefficiencies, and implement timely solutions. Together, these initiatives will lower trade costs, shorten transit times, and enhance the competitiveness of businesses operating along the corridor. To build an effective system, Djibouti is learning from successful trade corridor management models in East Africa. A technical team recently visited The Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority, the Port of Mombasa, Mariakani Weigh In Motion bridge under Kenya National Highways, Taveta OSBP in Kenya, the Central Corridor Transit and Transport Facilitation Agency and Holili OSBP in Tanzania, and the public bonded warehouse of Rwanda (MAGERWA) Rwanda. The delegation was able...

Le Nigeria a une occasion unique de tirer parti des avantages offerts par le protocole sur le commerce numérique de la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (ZLECAf), qui est conçu pour intégrer les marchés fragmentés de l'Afrique par le biais des technologies numériques, réduire les coûts de transaction pour les entreprises et générer de nouvelles sources de revenus pour les gouvernements. Ces sentiments ont été exprimés lors d'un atelier de deux jours sur le commerce numérique de la ZLECAf et les marchés mondiaux organisé par le bureau du vice-président de la République fédérale du Nigeria et ODI Global à Abuja les 19 et 20 février 2025, où la directrice du conseil d'administration de TradeMark Africa (TMA), Lola Aworanti-Ekugo, a dirigé une session perspicace sur "Le protocole de commerce numérique de la ZLECAf : Implications pour le Nigeria". Adopté en février 2024, le protocole sur le commerce numérique de la ZLECAf vise à éliminer les barrières commerciales, à renforcer la connectivité et à créer un environnement commercial numérique transparent en Afrique. La session d'Aworanti-Ekugo a délibéré sur une feuille de route pour la mise en œuvre du protocole par le Nigéria, décrivant les réformes, les étapes réglementaires et les investissements dans l'infrastructure numérique nécessaires pour libérer tout le potentiel commercial du pays grâce au commerce numérique. Elle a souligné la nécessité pour le Nigeria d'harmoniser ses politiques en matière de commerce numérique, d'améliorer la gouvernance des données et de renforcer les cadres de protection des consommateurs afin de faciliter le commerce...