The 15th Djibouti-Ethiopian Joint Ministerial Commission meeting was held in January 2019 in Djibouti, reflecting to speed up the bilateral relations for economic growth The countries renewed resolve for cooperation for economic rowth.  Both governments are engaged in a process of reform aimed, inter alia, to encourage their nationals to engage fully and practically in the creation of employment opportunity for youth, expand the structures of democracy, buttress ongoing economic progress, and respect the rights of the people. This Joint Ministerial Commission meeting showcased the renewed commitment of both countries to resolve all pressing issues and underline their determination to work closely together on peace and stability in the region and to support economic development and regional integration. The Ethiopian side commended the government of Djibouti for taking steps to improve relations with Eritrea. Djibouti appreciated Prime Minister Dr Abiy’s bold moves to encourage tranquillity in the region. The initiatives for peace provided a firm jumping off point to encourage youth to participate in the current wind of hope, change and confidence. The agreements included bolstering cooperation on criminal matters, formulating plans for ensuring regular, safe and orderly migration on the basis of the spirit of the Marrakech Agreement, and producing a new comprehensive agreement on labour issues, as well as enhancing existing cooperation on peace and security issues bilaterally and within the framework of IGAD, the African Union and the United Nations. The second distinctive feature of the Joint Ministerial Commission meeting was that it served as a venue...

 Horndiplomat-Somaliland representative to Ethiopia Ahmed Hassan Egal said that the Berbera Corridor Project would be launched at the end of February aiming to play role in handling Ethiopia’s ever-increasing import-export shipment.   Speaking to The Ethiopian Herald, the ambassador stated that the project envisioned to connect Ethiopia and Somaliland via highways and railways thereby providing seamless services for Ethiopia’s cargo. While the drive way distance between Addis Ababa and Berbera Port is only 11 hours, the roads are also in a good condition. Noting the two parties intertwined fate, he said that the development of Berbera Corridor would not be successful without Ethiopia’s participation and its acquisition of 19 percent of share in the Berbera Port opens a new door of cooperation. Ambassador Ahmed stated that the Port of Berbera is beneficial to Ethiopia get additional sea access and satisfy its quest for port services which has been aggravated by the massive economic progress of the past decade and plus years. The existing geo-political trend requires the expansion of the Berbera Port and Somaliland wants to connect with Ethiopia by all available means, he said, adding that the growing interconnectedness is mutually beneficial for the people and economies of the two sides.   The project would also play a significant role in enhancing the two parties trade exchange which is characterized by Somaliland’s import of Ethiopia’s agricultural and industrial outputs. It is estimated Somaliland imports to Ethiopia worth over 800 million USD annually. Regarding regional issues, the ambassador indicated that...

Uganda’s economy is expected to grow 6.3 per cent in the 2018/19 fiscal year, slightly higher than the 2018 rate of 6.1 per cent, boosted by robust activity in sectors such as manufacturing and construction, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said as its staff concluded a mission to Uganda. Inflation is expected to climb but flatten out around the central bank’s target of 5 percent over the next 12 months, according to IMF. “Credit to the private sector has improved, helped by a supportive monetary policy stance. Growth is projected at 6.3 per cent in FY18/19, as manufacturing, construction, and services continue to expand,” an IMF statement said. Uganda needs a high and sustained economic growth rate to help generate required revenues to fund its development agenda and public debt. The Finance Ministry says Uganda’s debt stands at 41.5 per cent of GDP but the central bank has said it believes public indebtedness has already topped 50 per cent of the nation’s economic output. The Auditor General is also concerned of the country’s increasing debt. The IMF said growth could rise to 7 per cent over the next five years if infrastructure and oil sector investments go on as planned, and private sector credit remains supportive. Uganda expects to start pumping crude oil by 2022 at the latest from fields in western areas near the border with Democratic Republic of Congo. However IMF said that could happen in 2023. Source: Eagle Online

Call for Papers: May 29 - 30, 2019. Nairobi, Kenya INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE PARTICIPATION AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IN TRADE TradeMark Africa (TMA) in collaboration with the University of Portsmouth (UoP) and the Centre for International Trade and Investment Law – India invite researchers and policy practitioners to participate in a research and policy symposium through submission of innovative and high-quality applied research and policy papers that explore the effective participation and empowerment of women in trade for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development. The submitted papers can be applied or conceptual. While conceptual papers are encouraged to be of direct policy relevance; applied papers must contain empirically tested approaches. Both papers should include, examples and experiences, particularly in Africa (papers with practical examples from other parts of the World are also welcome), of the different trade facilitation measures and their associated benefits, opportunities and challenges for effective participation and empowerment of women in trade. The organizing committee will accept papers from the following thematic topics that relate to participation and empowerment of women in trade; 1.  Legal and institutional barriers 2.  Inclusion and exclusion in global markets 3.  Trade policy advocacy 4.  ICT for trade 5.  Data and measurement of participation and empowerment of women in trade 6.  Socio-cultural enablers and limiters, climate change 7.  Regional and continental economic integration. Of interest too will be papers that focus on a south-south comparative analysis on these topics. Submit your complete paper siat@trademarkea.com by April 30th, 2019. Near completed papers or solid extended...

The TAF2+ advisory support to Somaliland’s ongoing trade and transit negotiations with Ethiopia aimed at enhancing the technical, analytical and negotiating competencies of key government agencies and negotiators to negotiate and conclude a transit and trade agreement with Ethiopia. The advisory support started in early 2018 following the investment in modernising the infrastructure and operation of the Port of Berbera and is currently in the process of being completed. Implemented by WTI Advisors, the Project conducted a series of tailor-made consultative workshops on matters related to trade, transit and transport facilitation. The Team of Experts worked closely with members of the Joint Operational Committee to draft a customs transit agreement, a bilateral road transport agreement in addition to a bilateral trade agreement and provided training and coaching to participants on how to defend their interests in the negotiations with Ethiopia. The team further prepared a database and collection of core resource materials on international trade and investment with over 300 resources on the legal/regulatory, policy-related and economic aspects of trade, transit and investment. Source: Horn Diplomant

When Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Yoweri Museveni opened the improved border crossing at Busia in February last year, they said they were implementing their commitment to expand trade by freeing movement of people. Known as the Busia One-Stop-Border Post, the crossing cost about Sh1.2 billion, with facilitation from the Trade Mark East Africa. But away from the dignitaries, media, pomp and colour, the Nation spent time with border communities to get a peak on what regional integration means for them. LIFE BEFORE At Buyengo village, deep in Busia on the Ugandan side, 67-year-old Alfred Mang’eni tells of a story of mixed parentage and a life unhindered by borders. Mang’eni is, technically a Ugandan resident. But he is Kenyan. His father is a Kenyan from Luchululo village in Samia Sub-County of Busia but he bought land in Jinja, Uganda where he was born with other six siblings. “Long time ago we could visit our relatives in Kenya without many restrictions. We used to cross via the lake using boats,” he told the Nation, as he massaged his beard. “At the moment a lot has changed and we have to produce documents to relevant authorities. At the main Busia border [crossing], we were never issued with permits to grant us entry to Kenya or vice versa,” said Mr Mang’eni in his native Samia, a language also spoken in Funyula Constituency in Busia County. DIVIDED FAMILIES For the Samia, the border between Kenya and Uganda at Busia cut their villages right in the middle, dividing families...

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id="15" gal_title="Edited Obituary-- George Wolf"] It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that TradeMark Africa (TMA) announces the sudden and untimely death of George Wolf Jr, TMA’s Senior Director of Market Access, on December 11, 2018, during an event in Nairobi with the TMA family. George is survived by his wife, Anita Shankar, and two sons, Shiva and Cyrus. George was an extraordinary man. He played a huge part in TMA’s development over the last seven years – his profound intellect, his ability to work with ease across all teams, his prodigious commitment and energy - for our work and for our people, and his inimitable sense of humour. It’s of course not only TMA, but a much wider community of our development partners and implementing partners who will feel this loss. TMA wishes to honour George’s memory by remaining strongly committed, alongside its many partners, to creating tangible improvements to trade in East Africa, for the benefit of all its citizens. We invite you to sign the online condolence book for George [link].

The East African Community (EAC) already has enough on its plate and, as such, is not supposed to squander time on rivalries. It is sad, therefore, that there has been bad blood among the EAC partners. Some years back, we had the Coalition of the Willing. Now Burundi and Rwanda are wary of each other. The community has daunting challenges for individual partner states to tackle. Poverty, high unemployment, terrorism, infrastructure woes, non-tariff barriers and high business costs chillingly dangle on the bloc like the Sword of Damocles, so to speak. Poverty is biting; terrorists have been striking and businesses have been torpedoed. Kenya had been under deadly terrorist attacks, the last one as late as last month at the luxury DusitD2 hotel in Nairobi, which claimed 21 lives. The new EAC chairman, Rwanda President Paul Kagame, has aptly warned that terrorism is an emerging challenge that must be tamed by all means – and requires acting jointly. The immediate-past EAC chairman, Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, decried the high cost of doing business among the partner states, particularly transportation hurdles. We call on the EAC leaders to ensure unity for the benefit of 170 million East Africans and posterity. Source: The Citizen

The World Bank Group private sector arm, International Finance Cooperation (IFC), is seeking to increase its investment in Rwanda in a number of sectors such as agriculture, real estate and Small and Medium Enterprise development. The IFC currently has investments worth about $132M in the country, which could go up in the course of 2019. The New Times’ Collins Mwai spoke to IFC Vice president for the Middle East and Africa Sergio Pimenta on a range of issues, including the organisation’s opinion on reviving the agriculture sector. Excerpts: Previously, the World Bank Group has been on record severally saying that Rwandan private sector has not been able to make the most of opportunities in the economy. Is this still the case? It is so, what can be done to turn this around? The local private sector has a big role to play in Rwanda. If you look at the overall development of the country and what has happened in the last few years, the government has made very significant efforts to improve the investment climate. In the Doing Business report that the World Bank publishes every year, Rwanda is ranked very high, which shows that the environment is very conducive to be more present. Our experience is that when you look at emerging markets, the successful development of a country relies on models where the private sector plays a big role. When it comes to Rwanda, there is space for the private sector to grow. There are opportunities and that...

Nairobi, January 17th, 2019:  TradeMark Africa (TMA) and the AfroChampions Initiative (ACI) have this evening signed a partnership agreement committing to provide support to governments and the private sector in realising the Africa Continental Free Trade Area. The agreement was signed by Frank Matsaert, TMA CEO and Ali Mufuruki, Regional Chair, AfroChampions Initiative (ACI). Both organisations have a common interest in building partnerships that promote economic integration as a strategic growth driver for the African continent. The areas of mutual agreement in the partnership include private sector engagement, strategic advocacy with governments and the private sector and improving access to information. Speaking at the event, TMA CEO Frank Matsaert said, “We are delighted in partnering with ACI to help support the realisation of the largest trade agreement which will increase Africa’s trade, increase GDPs and create jobs. TMA, is excited to lend its expertise in supporting the realisation of this dream.” AfroChampions Initiative Regional Chair, Ali Mufuruki said, “AfroChampions is looking forward to engaging further with TMA to promote the AfCFTA to showcase what a successful Africa will look like and to identify benefits of increased intra-continental trade that can be shared between citizens and countries.” TMA and ACI will leverage their expertise in trade facilitation to foster cooperation between African private operators across the continent. The two organisations will identify projects of regional or pan-African importance that require investment from African or foreign investors.  Both TMA and ACI will then promote and participate in the successful projects which will...