Rwanda is doubling its efforts to help build the capacity of its businesses to tap into international and regional markets. This has therefore pushed the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) to sign an agreement worth USD $2.4 million. The agreement aims to link 40 local producers of non- traditional exports to new markets by 2023 by providing business advisory services for export-ready companies. According t a statement from TMA, Rwandan university graduates will be placed in mentorship programmes to build their capacity in trade policy and export development. This will ensure the long-term sustainability of the outcomes of the programme. “The support from TradeMark Africa (TMA) is part of the USD $50 million Memorandum of Understanding signed between TradeMark Africa (TMA) and the Government of Rwanda early this year.  The funding to RDB is being provided by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through TMA.” The statement reads in part. In July 2016, the Hub and Rwanda Development Bank identified, prepared and showcased several promising investment opportunities to global investors during the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, World Investment forum. There are currently three possible transactions awaiting closure in the Hub’s investment pipeline. One of the deals is in the financial service sector, the other two are within the agribusiness sector. According to the East Africa Trade Investment Hub, nearly 50 entrepreneurs attended the Hub’s March 2016 AGOA workshop in Kigali, Rwanda. From export-ready firms...

TradeMark East Africa (TMA) announced last week that it will be investing $2.4 million in Rwanda (Rwf2.1 billion) to facilitate local business to raise the capacity to access the complex international markets. The deal is part of the $50 million (Rwf44.3 billion) memorandum of understanding between the Government of Rwanda and TMA signed last year to improve the capacity of local businesses to export. Patience Mutesi, TMA’s Country Director, said the support will facilitate local industries in producing products that meet international standards. “The largest component of the funding will be used in providing support to exporting firms to increase their capacity to export. This could be in the form of putting together export strategies, training them on the standards of the markets they export to, and market linkages where they will participate in sales and trade missions to key markets,” she told Business Times. Rwanda has pursued a raft of reforms aimed at creating a conducive environment for businesses but the economy is rattled with a sustained trade deficit stemming from a weak export sector. Mutesi believes the productive capacity of businesses to trade beyond borders remain low. Rwanda was ranked 29th globally this year in the World Bank Group annual series of Doing Business Report. However, the report ranked the country 88th globally in terms of trading across borders. “Trade is the way to reduced poverty and increase prosperity and so businesses need to take full advantage of the reforms to increase trade between Rwanda and the world,” she...

Kigali, 6th November 2018:  The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have today signed an agreement that aims to help build the capacity of Rwandan businesses to tap into international and regional markets.   The support, worth USD $2.4 million, aims to link 40 local producers of non- traditional exports to new markets by 2023 by providing business advisory services for export-ready companies. Furthermore, Rwandan university graduates will be placed in mentorship programmes to build their capacity in trade policy and export development. This will ensure the long-term sustainability of the outcomes of the programme. The support from TMA is part of the USD $50 million Memorandum of Understanding signed between TMA and the Government of Rwanda early this year.  The funding to RDB is being provided by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through TMA. Speaking during the signing ceremony, RDB Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer Emmanuel Hategeka said, “the partnership with TMA couldn’t have come at a better time. Supporting local exporters will increase employment opportunities for Rwandans while at the same time helping to reduce Rwanda’s trade deficit.” Explaining the new partnership, TMA Country Director Ms. Patience Mutesi-Gatera said, “Growing Rwandan exports and getting Rwandan companies to compete at the international markets may seem complex. We believe it is possible with collaboration, and that is why we have renewed our partnership with RDB to especially support the Rwanda National Export Strategy. Our...

Nairobi has asked Beijing to give preferential market access to Kenyan goods in a bid to narrow the gaping trade deficit between the two nations. Kenya’s delegation, led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, has called on China to lower trade barriers such as higher tariffs for her exports to the world’s largest market with a population of about 1.4 billion. The Asian giant ranks on top of Kenya’s five-year exports growth strategy, unveiled on July 31, which seeks to expand the market for key farm produce such as tea, coffee, cut flowers, fruits and vegetables. Past attempts to access the populous Chinese market have yielded little fruits largely because of agricultural health concerns, with Beijing raising reservations over phytosanitary standards of Kenya’s fresh produce. "To facilitate increased exports for African agricultural products, China may consider providing technical assistance to sanitary and phytosanitary institutions in Africa to enable these countries comply with Chinese standards and other international requirements," Mr Kenyatta said in a speech to the six-day inaugural China International Import Expo which kicked off Monday in Shanghai, the country’s largest city by population. Source Business Daily

DISTRICT, municipal and city councils have been advise to set aside pockets of land specific for investors to establish small scale industries. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for the disabled, Stella Ikupa said in Dar es Salaam last weekend that such areas should also have proper infrastructure so that private investors should consider them as viable land banks for commercial purposes. “District and Regional Commissioners should make sure that councils should set aside special areas for investment purposes such as construction of small scale industries in line with government plans,” Ikupa said while inaugurating a Tanzania Entrepreneurship and Competitive Centre (TECC) new board of trustees. She advised TECC’s new board of trustees to ensure that it works with local authorities to have such land banks where industries will be erected so that youth should get jobs but also start their own small scale industries to fight poverty and unemployment. The new board of trustees which is chaired by National Economic Empowerment Council’s Executive Director, Beng’i Issa and has Professor Burton Mwamila, Francis Nanai, Sophia Mbeyela and Edward as members was also required to make sure that youth are trained in entrepreneurship and competitiveness. On her part, TECC Chairperson, Issa reiterated that her board of trustees will continue working with the management in advancing interests of youth and entrepreneurs to be competitive in the market through training, mentorship and financing where possible. “Today the founders of this centre have handed over duties to the new board of trustees...

The move has significantly reduced the time taken by travelers and trucks at the borders from days to about 1.5 minutes to 30 minutes on average respectively. The EAC with the support of TradeMark Africa (TMA) is finalising the completion of the Malaba OSBP on the Kenya-Uganda border at a cost of $ 7.5 million. Speaking after the meeting of the EAC Committee on Customs at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority, John Njiraini said that TMA was supporting construction of OSBPs at Elegu/Nimule (Uganda/South Sudan Border), Tunduma/Nakonde (Tanzania/Zambia) and Moyale (Kenya/Ethiopia). “We recognise that trade is global. Therefore, as much as we smoothen the flow of trade within the EAC, we intend to ensure the flow out and into EAC boundaries with neighbouring countries is smoothened,” said Njiraini, who was flanked by among others Commissioner General of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Charles Kichere. The list also includes, Dickson Kateshumbwa, Acting Commissioner General, Uganda Revenue Authority and Kenneth Bagamuhunda, the Director General, Customs and Trade at the EAC Secretariat. The meeting drew participation from Commissioners General and Commissioners of Customs in the EAC partner states. Njiraini disclosed that in order to resolve the problem of lack of information to business, Trade Information Portals (TIPs) had been installed in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. “Tanzania is in the process of establishing the trade portal. The TIPs will also be installed at a later stage in Burundi and South Sudan. The link of the EAC Trade...

The Port of Mombasa, Kenya's largest seaport has set out a path towards becoming a world-class regional hub under its Masterplan. According to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), after major infrastructure developments and acquisition of new equipment, the port enhanced its attractiveness for global trade and continues to witness improved business volumes. Notable infrastructure developments include completion and operationalisation of phase one of the Second Container Terminal and the completion of the expansion of the Inland Container Depot Nairobi (ICDN). Other key milestones include the construction of the first three berths of the Lamu Port (50 percent complete), expansion of gates and yard capacity and installation of the Integrated Port Security System among others. ''The enhancement of capacity has been marked by key infrastructural investments and modernisation of cargo handling equipment, which have catapulted the port to a regional pole position,'' KPA said in a statement. KPA said that the Mombasa Port Development Programme (MPDP) is a key cog of the infrastructural development. The programme, which was to be implemented in three phases, envisaged the construction of a Container Terminal on a total area of 100 hectares and capacity to handle 1.5 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) per annum on completion – making the overall port capacity to over 2.6 million TEUs. ''This new terminal is poised to provide an additional 900 meters of quay length and three (3) berths of 300meters each. The quay length is critical as it indicates the ability to accommodate modern large ships,'' KPA said. The first phase of the project...

In its latest statement, the pan-African bank said it is harnessing its digital expertise and innovation to bring efficiency and convenience to the international and intra-African remittance markets, while significantly reducing the costs of the service. The launch of the Rapidtransfer mobile application will enable Africans wherever they may be to easily and instantly send money to bank accounts, mobile wallets and cash collection in, and across, 33 African countries. As well as being intuitive, easy to navigate and multi-lingual with English, French, Spanish and Portuguese variants, the application provides simple and secure digital onboarding. Users can choose how and when funds are delivered to the intended beneficiary, with transparent foreign exchange rates prior to each transaction. Charges range from nothing to 3 percent epending on the options the customer selects. “Historically the cost of sending cross-border remittances in Africa has been far too high. Similarly, the process to send funds has long been inefficient and burdensome, with customers forced to physically go to an agent, and yet still have little or no clarity as to when the money will reach the recipient,” said Ade Adeyemi, Ecobank’s Group CEO. Adeyemi added, “The Rapidtransfer app remittance solution is a quick, easy and reliable digital solution that removes all of these issues. It is a game-changer for Africans with its sustainable and standout affordability.” He further stated that the application further demonstrates Ecobank’s commitment to enhance the economic development and financial integration of the African continent. “We know that remittance flows into...

Kenya was Tuesday putting on a brave face following reports that Uganda had shelved plans to extend the Standard Gauge Railway from Malaba to Kampala until “unresolved issues with Kenya and China have been concluded". Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said that Kenya was instead revamping the Kisumu Port in Lake Victoria to ease movement of goods via the lake to Uganda and Rwanda in case the SGR terminates at Kisumu. NEGOTIATIONS “In the worst case scenario, the Kisumu port would serve Rwanda and Uganda. We are, however, moving phase by phase. Thinking about Malaba for now is too much for the plate,” Mr Macharia said in an interview with the Nation. Mr Macharia is currently in China to conclude negotiations for funding of the Naivasha to Kisumu SGR sector. Kenya secured a Sh150 billion loan from China to extend its railway from Nairobi to Naivasha and construction is ongoing. The Mombasa — Nairobi SGR line was completed mid-last year. Uganda Finance Minister Matia Kasaija told Daily Nation’s sister publication, the Daily Monitor, on Monday, that the Uganda government had put on hold the SGR venture and has instead turned attention to revamping the old metre-gauge railway network. CUT COST The Chinese-financed project is the first stage in a scheme that aims to extend to Uganda and other landlocked countries. The goal is to cut the cost of transport and boost trade by replacing a slower, narrow-gauge line. For some time now, Ugandan government officials have blamed Kenya for failing to commit themselves to...

With the construction of Gulu trade logistic hub currently at the tail end of design stage, there will be several winners both along the way and upon its completion. A logistics hub is a centre or specific area designated to deal with activities related to transportation, organisation, separation, coordination and distribution of goods for national and international transit, on a commercial basis by various operators. Further reaffirming the need for the logistics infrastructure are economic and policy analysts, project funders plus the northern Uganda community opinion leaders Daily Monitor spoke to during the site visit of the 22-acre piece of land recently. They say the $9 million (about Shs34 billion) Gulu trade logistic hub whose development has delayed by at least two years, is already long overdue, considering the value it would generate once it is fully fledged and operational. Gulu logistics hub will also be linked to the regional Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project due to its proximity to South Sudan, once the country’s leading export market and the Democratic republic of Congo (DRC), another promising export destination for locally manufactured products. Game changer The trade logistics hub will create numerous jobs in maintenance, assembly, machinery repair and dry docking, packaging and labeling as well as administrative work. This will be in addition to mushrooming opportunities such as accommodation services, hotels, restaurants and retail shops it would have created thanks to the new infrastructure. “Gulu is expected to attain a city status soon. This trade logistics hub will increase...