Women play a key role in trade in Africa and will be essential to Africa’s success in exploiting its trade potential. Women make a major contribution to trade in most African countries through their involvement in the production of tradable goods as cross-border traders and as managers and owners of firms involved in trade. In many countries in Africa, the majority of small farmers are women, and they produce crops such as maize, cassava, cotton, and rice that have enormous potential for increased trade between African countries and with the global market.2 Women are also involved in providing services across borders, such as education, health, and professional services, including accountancy and legal services. Hundreds of thousands of women cross borders in Africa every day to deliver goods from areas where they are relatively cheap to areas in which they are in shorter supply.

Unnecessary en-route delays due to the existence of weighbridges, slow border-crossing times

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Burundi NTB National Monitoring Committee" implementor="National Monitoring Committee on NTBs" target_group="The Burundian Government, the national and international business stakeholders" project_value="US$ 587,137.8" implementation_period="2011 - 2015" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"]NTBs are defined in the EAC as “quantitative restrictions and specific limitations that act as obstacles to trade”. Such restrictions and limitations are embedded in laws, regulations, practices and requirements other than tariffs and include non-tariff charges, government participation in trade, restrictive trade practices and policies, among others. Burundi is particularly affected and in terms of cost of export and import ranks among the most expensive in the world. Reducing the time and cost losses to exporters and importers is thus paramount to Burundi’s increased regional integration and trade facilitation, but also to sustaining growth in the long run. What: The aim of this project is to support the National Monitoring Committee (NMC) develop a national strategy and an action plan on eliminating NTB's. How: TMA will provide the required support to Burundi NMC in hiring a coordinator in charge of coordinating activities of the committee Contact: Sandra Nyambuza, Email: sandra.nyambuza@trademarkea.com Click here to learn more about One Stop Border Posts Program[/single_project_block_1][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_id="desired-result"][vc_column][single_project_block_2 heading="Desired Results" image_1="42084" image_2="42057"]The NMC Coordinator is fully operational; An NMC Strategy is elaborated and validated, a National Action Plan is elaborated and implemented. Together, this results will strengthen of the NMC for the elimination of NTBs in Burundi[/single_project_block_2][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][project_single_ele_3_container heading="More Project Insights." sub_heading="Projects Highlights From A Glance" slide_1="info access for 20 crops & over five breeds of livestock"...

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Elegu OSBP Construction" implementor="Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Ministry of Works and Transport" target_group="Importers and exporters, Private sector agents such as freight forwarders, and transporters; Border agencies; Revenue Authorities, Bureau of Standards, Immigration Authorities and Relevant government ministries" project_value="US$ 7,100,000" implementation_period="2012 - 2017" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"]As the main gateway into Southern Sudan from the port of Mombasa, the Nimule-Elegu border post is of strategic importance to the EAC region. The border is extremely slow, and Nimule takes an average of four days to process imports. This delay imposes serious costs on traders. These time delays can be attributed to inadequate border infrastructure, insufficient quality and quantity of technical equipment, poor border design, complicated procedures based on centralized control, and multiple border organisations working in isolation. What: TradeMark Africa is financing an OSBP at Elegu, Uganda, and modernising and extending the facilities at Nimule, South Sudan. How: TMA will provide full funding for the construction of the OSBP. Harmonisation of customs procedures will be undertaken by a Joint Task Force of Experts from the two countries concerned, and supported by TradeMark Africa.  The project will be implemented in coordination with other ongoing initiatives of the World Bank, JICA, USAID, the African Development Bank and the European Union. TMA will engage consultants for design and supervise work. Contact: Michael Ojatum: michael.ojatum@trademarkea.com Click here to learn more about One Stop Border Posts Program[/single_project_block_1][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_id="desired-result"][vc_column][single_project_block_2 heading="Desired Results" image_1="42587" image_2="42589"]Efficient border processing, improved knowledge and skills of border agencies and compliance with...

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Mombasa port infrastructure works" implementor="Kenya Ports Authority (KPA)" target_group="Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya National Highways Authority, Kenya Urban Roads Authority, PSOs and CSOs, Importers and Exporters, Freight forwarders" project_value="US$ 45,509,504.19" implementation_period="2013 - 2018" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"]The Port of Mombasa has over the years recorded significant growth in traffic volumes. This high growth has put a strain on existing port infrastructure, necessitating costly investments to improve operations and service delivery. Despite the efforts by Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) to expand capacity and improve efficiency in cargo handling, the port still faces capacity constraints and service delivery challenges. These include low labour productivity, poor cargo off take by rail and road, cargo clearance delays, lack of full automation, operational wastages and poor resource utilization. These are compounded by changing ship technology; poor urban planning around the port; a changing legal and policy environment; corruption occurring along the Northern Corridor. What: TMA and KPA have agreed on a programme of activities to provide KPA with additional capacity to handle increasing demand which include: Legal and Regulatory Revision; Port-wide Productivity Improvement; Infrastructure and Facilities Improvement; Preliminary analysis of the Mombasa Dry Port Initiative; Supporting KPA’s communications with all key stakeholders, decision-makers and communities; Mitigation and adaptation to climate impacts at the Port. Efficient implementation of national and regional NTB mechanisms How: TMA’s support to KPA is delivered through financial aid and technical support. Contact: James Ngángá, Email: james.nganga@trademarkea.com Click here to learn more about One Stop Border Posts Program[/single_project_block_1][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_id="desired-result"][vc_column][single_project_block_2 heading="Desired Results"...

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Increased Organizational Effectiveness: Provision of Video Conferencing equipment" implementor="East African Community Secretariat" target_group="East African Community" project_value="3.8 M" implementation_period="2012 - 2016" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"]One of the major challenges faced by the Secretariat is the ability to communicate timely and effectively. This impinges on the quality of decisions made and the timeliness of the decision making process. Moreover, a large percentage of the EAC Secretariat budget cost of is associated with travel and transport across the Partner State in attending various meetings related to the development of the East African Region. What: As part of a broad institutional reform programme that is on-going, and particularly as part of the Secretary General’s drive to realise cost-efficiency gains in communication and decision-making, the Council approved the acquisition and installation of a Video Conferencing System (VCS) for the Community. It is expected that the system will not only improve efficiency in communication and decision-making, but it will also help the Secretariat realise significant savings in cost and time. Key outputs include:  Installation and operationalization of VC equipment at EAC Secretariat and Partner States;  Adoption of procedures and guidelines for management of the use of VC System; How: TMA will provide financial and technical assistance to support procurement, installation and operationalization of VC equipment at the EAC Secretariat and Partner States. Contact: Jason Kapkirwork, Email: Jason.kapkirwork@trademarkea.com Click here to learn more about One Stop Border Posts Program[/single_project_block_1][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_id="desired-result"][vc_column][single_project_block_2 heading="Desired Results" image_1="42618" image_2="42620"]Improved communication to enhance timely and effective decision making process through provision...