The South Sudan National Revenue Authority (NRA) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have entered a trade facilitation agreement, which will link the Central African nation to the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS). The electronic system is currently implemented on the Northern Corridor in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC through the respective revenue and customs administrations. Also, the tracking system will help Juba promote trade and diversify from oil revenues by establishing modern systems for faster clearance of goods at borders. Basically, RECTS will enable real-time tracking of transit cargos to or from DRC. This will be done through an online platform monitored in control centres in the four countries where the system operates: Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Congo and now South Sudan. With these control centres, the risk of consignment diversion in checkpoints will be reduced, ultimately minimizing checkpoint fraud and cargo theft. NRA Commissioner General Olympio Attipoe noted that the move is important as Juba aims to reduce the cost of security bonds, theft, and diversions, as well as enhance security on the transit route from the port of Mombasa. This development comes as South Sudan struggles to form a national unity government. The country gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but descended into a civil war two years later. After a string of failed agreements, a peace deal was signed last September between the opposition and the ruling parties. However, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in a statement in May announced that both parties agreed to give themselves six more months to...

To make the most out of regional trade while diversifying from reliance on oil revenues, South Sudan’s revenue collection body has partnered with an aid-for-trade organisation. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which the South Sudan’s National Revenue Authority (NRA) signed with TradeMark Africa (TMA), if implemented to the dot, could according to regional trade analysts, improve the trading environment of the newest country in the world with her regional peers and neighbours. The MoU signed barely a fortnight ago in the South Sudan capital, Juba, commits the two into working towards establishing a modern trade systems and procedures to support faster clearance and transiting of goods. This builds on the work that TMA in partnership with the Juba governments is undertaking at Elegu-Nimule border, the main crossing point between Uganda and South Sudan. Given the prevailing situation, it became apparent that attention will be given to enhancing faster clearance and movement of humanitarian goods coming into South Sudan aiming to halve the time it takes from the current two days to one day or even less. According to the South Sudan Commissioner General, National Revenue Authority, Dr Olympio Attipoe, the uncertainties surrounding consignments destined for South Sudan have been a major challenge. Cases of delayed container freight stations in Mombasa, disappearance of cargo and theft have been rampant and documented. Source: Daily Monitor

Over the past 5 years, the East African Community (EAC) has reduced the bottlenecks on both the central and northern corridors as a way of facilitating trade in the region but despite this a number of challenges hindering the logistics industry still remain. Director of Transport at Trademark East Africa (TEA), Abhishek Sharma joins CNBC Africa for more. Source: cnbcafrica

Wealth and Prosperity comes from Trade – says H.E. Yoweri Museveni The EAC Must Embrace Free Trade; it's is Critical to the Survival of Partner States- says H.E. Yoweri Museveni Government Partnership with Private Sector is vital for Wealth Creation and Prosperity  in the EAC DOWNLOAD VIDEO: Entebbe, Uganda, 24th August 2019:- The East African Business Council pays a courtesy visit to H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda and Member of the Summit of EAC Heads of State at the Entebbe State House, Uganda. Leading the EABC delegation, Mr. Nick Nesbitt, EABC Chairman, was accompanied by Mr. Patrick Bitature, PSFU Chairman and EABC Board Directors namely Mr. Mwine Jim Kabeho, EABC Vice-Chairman & Director, Madhvani Group of Companies, Hon. Peter Mathuki, CEO EABC, Mr. Chris Diaz, EABC Board Director & Group Director Bidco Africa Ltd, Mr. Godfrey Simbeye, CEO Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), Mr. Gideon Badagawa, CEO PSFU,  Mr. Simon Kaheru, EABC Board Director, Ms. Merian Sebunya, Director PSFU & Member EABC, Ms. Waturi wa Matu, Senior Director, TradeMark Africa and Mr. Moses Ogwal, PSFU. “Your Excellency, first and foremost allow me, on behalf of the business community and private sector in East Africa congratulate you and more sincerely thank you not only for engaging closely towards a common vision with your counterparts in the other EAC Partner States but also for being a steadfast believer in regional integration,” said Mr. Nick Nesbitt. Mr. Nesbitt further appreciated H.E. President Museveni for resolving border misunderstandings for the common good of the East African...

The East African Business Council has called for closer government partnership and involvement with the private sector in policy formulation to enhance the competitiveness of the EAC region. This, according to the EABC Chairman Mr Nick Nesbitt will also enhance value addition in agriculture, mining and services sectors among others as well as strengthening regional value chains. “EABC is a respected coordinator and holds respective dialogue with EAC governments with balanced regional views and policy stance,” he said. Mr. Nebsitt  was speaking during a courtesy visit to Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and highlighted the importance of fast tracking the  comprehensive review of EAC CET; Liberalization of Opens Skies;  One Network Area on Telecommunication; Harmonization of Standards in the EAC; Strengthening the EAC Secretariat on enforcement of laws; Market access with Democratic Republic of the Congo; Transport interlinkages in the region – Road, Rail and Water (lake Victoria); Inter-governmental trade dispute resolution mechanism and closer government involvement and government partnership with the private sector. “Comprehensive review of the EAC Common External Tariff (CET) is yet to be finalized four years down the line adversely affecting intra-EAC trade,” said Hon. Peter Mathuki, EABC CEO. Mr. Nesbitt further appreciated H.E. President Museveni for resolving border misunderstandings for the common good of the East African people as enshrined in the Treaty. “This will go a long way in instilling confidence to the citizens and business community,” said Mr. Nesbitt adding that a healthy and vibrant private sector will support social and economic development of the...

August 26th 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan’s National Revenue Authority (NRA) and TradeMark Africa (TMA), an East African organization, have signed a Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) aimed at stimulating trade growth from oil revenues in the oil sector. TradeMark Africa (TMA) is a non-profit organization focusing on promoting inclusive trade and improving business relations between East African countries. The TFA signed last Friday by the two bodies seeks to boost cross-border trade and enhance unrestricted movement of goods at border points. Speaking after the signing of the agreement, the head of TradeMark Africa, Frank Matsaert stated that, TMA is committed to doing everything to the best of its ability, but he stressed that the Transitional Government of National Unity must demonstrate its seriousness in implementing the revitalized peace agreement in spirit and letter. “We are committed to doing our part, but it has to be stressed that we need a government of national unity to stick to the peace deal and start doing good work for the citizens in November,” Frank Matsaert was quoted as saying. The trade agreement is expected to link up the world’s youngest nation to the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking system (RECTs). Source: Nyamilepedia

August 25, 2019 (JUBA) - South Sudan National Revenue Authority (NRA) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have inked an agreement to promote trade and help the young nation, whose economy largely depends on oil revenues, diversify into other sectors by establishing modern systems for the faster clearance of goods. The deal, officials said in statement, will link South Sudan to the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking system (RECTs), which is currently implemented on the Northern Corridor in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through the respective revenue and customs administrations. RECTs is a web-based integrated system used to monitor transit cargo from departure to the final destination. The new trade agreement is in important in that it will assist Juba in reducing the cost of security bonds, theft and diversions, and enhance security on the transit route from the port of Mombasa. TMA, however, said it hopes South Sudan’s Government of National Unity, expected to be inaugurated on November 12, will materialise. “We are committed to doing our part, but it has to be stressed that we need a government of national unity to stick to the peace deal and start doing good work for the citizens in November,” said TMA CEO Frank Matsaert at the signing of the deal on Friday last week. South Sudan, where oil revenues make up nearly 98 percent of the budget, has been reeling an under economic crisis due to civil war. Source: Sudan Tribune

Ahead of the third Global Logistics Convention, in East Africa, which takes place on August 29-30 at the Kigali Convention Centre, Abhishek Sharma, TMA’s Senior Director for Transport spoke to Business Times’ James Karuhangaabout the state of the logistics sector in the region. According to the logistics expert, in the past 10 years, the status of logistics in the region has improved significantly but challenges persist and that is why such a conference comes in handy. Most importantly, he noted, it is very important that countries work very hard to reduce the cost of logistics because poor people bear the brunt more when things go wrong in the logistics sector. The excerpts; What is the situation of the logistics sector in the region at the moment? In the last, 10 years, the status of logistics in the region has improved significantly; the time and the cost has come down dramatically along both the northern corridor and the central corridor. For example on the central corridor, for Rwanda, while the average speed of truck on transit was 7 kilometers an hour it has now improved to as much as 14 kilometers an hour and so, that is doubling is speed along the corridor. This has resulted in a reduction in prices of logistic movements along the corridor. Which studies back this up? The Logistics Performance Index of the World Bank also shows a significant improvement in all the countries of the EAC on logistics. What it shows is that normally, the logistics performance of...

The Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) Sea cargo regime went live at the Port of Mombasa, marking one of the successful modernization steps in the East African Community trade facilitation. iCMS integrates and harmonises Customs processes into one system not only to enhance efficacy in Customs and Border Control operations but also to conform to best global Customs processes.  The go live of the sea cargo iCMS regime was marked by the clearance of the first consignment of 43,400.835 metric tonnes of clinker. The Vessel transporting the consignment, MV Ptolomeos, docked at the Portof Mombasa on Saturday, 3rd August, 2019 and was offloaded to its destination. The consignment was cleared automatically in the system, after the importer’s clearing agent, Express Shipping and Logistics (ESL), lodged entries in the system and paid duty of Ksh65 million before the arrival of the cargo.The biggest win for KRA in the implementation of iCMS is enhanced revenue collection at the ports of entry. This will be achieved through enhanced operational efficiency in Customs processes. iCMS is also set to reduce the cargo dwell time for compliant imports at thePort of Mombasa since the system does not require human intervention at the document processing centre, unlike the Simba system.The scenario presented with the use of iCMS is the automation of previously manual Customs processes like Risk Management and Valuation. These manual processes are sometimes shrouded by subjectivity but going forward,they will be eliminated, reducing officer discretion and allowing objectivity and integrity of processes. Customs revenues...

The South Sudan National Revenue Authority (NRA) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have entered a trade facilitation agreement to help Juba to promote trade and diversify from oil revenues by establishing modern systems for faster clearance of goods. The deal will link South Sudan to the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking system (RECTs), which is currently implemented on the Northern Corridor in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC through the respective revenue and Customs administrations. RECTs is a web-based integrated system used to monitor transit cargo from departure to the final destination. NRA Commissioner General Olympio Attipoe said the move is important as Juba aims to reduce the cost of security bonds, theft and diversions, and enhance security on the transit route from the port of Mombasa. TMA says it hopes the unity government expected to be inaugurated in November will materialise. “We are committed to doing our part, but it has to be stressed that we need a government of national unity to stick to the peace deal and start doing good work for the citizens in November,” said TMA CEO Frank Matsaert at the signing of the deal with the NRA last Friday. Source: The EastAfrican