The UK has launched a scheme to cut tariffs on hundreds of products from some of the world's poorest countries to try to boost trade links. The preferential terms, which come into effect early next year, will affect products ranging from food to textiles. Under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, 99% of goods imported from Africa will be duty free. Ministers say the scheme helps to fulfil the post-Brexit pledge to take back control of the country's trade policy while also reducing dependence on aid. Read original article

By Brian Mwale- The Centre for Trade Policy and Development -CTPD- has urged government to develop strong linkages between the agriculture and manufacturing sectors in Zambia. CTPD Trade and Development Researcher EMMANUEL MUMA says strong linkages should be developed through the ministries of agriculture and technology and science to be anchored by policies that promote technology. He says this will help the agriculture sector with proven production technologies and supportive policies in agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Mr. MUMA adds that technology in farming can help to further accelerate growth by ensuring higher crop yields, promoting climate smart agriculture practices, and enhancing farming sustainability. He also notes that technology is also key in promoting industrial development and innovation for value addition and offering efficient means towards reducing post-harvest losses among small- scale farmers. And Mr. MUMA says that the CTPD is saddened that small-scale producers are still facing market challenges for their produce across the supply chain. He has advised the Zambia National Farmers Union -ZNFU- to address market challenges and demand for local agriculture produce in the manufacturing industry instead of suggesting that local producers are dumping high quantity vegetables on the local market. Mr. MUMA adds that most locally produced goods still face limited access to organized markets such as chain stores as the challenge is worsened by weak linkages between agriculture and manufacturing sectors in Zambia. He has also advised government to put more efforts towards enforcement and implementation of the Local Content Strategy to address locally produced...

A survey conducted by the Ghana International Trade and Conference (GITFic) on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative has revealed that increased sensitisation is crucial to ensure businesses reap the benefits of the programme. Ninety per cent of the respondents said the AfCFTA was relevant and more education was needed on the programme. Also, 65 per cent of the respondents indicated that the implementation of the AfCFTA would have beneficial effects on their business. The survey was to assess the views of the business community in the country with regards to the framework of the AfCFTA and the designation of Accra as the “commercial capital of Africa “. The objective of the AfCFTA is to eliminate barriers to trade in Africa to significantly boost intra-Africa trade particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all sectors of Africa’s economy. Addressing the media here on Thursday on the findings of the survey, the Lead Researcher, Gerald Woode, said it was undertaken within a period of 12 weeks from February 2022 to April 2022 and was conducted in six regions namely Greater Accra, Ashanti, Volta, Northern and Eastern regions of the country with a total of 4,800 questionnaires administered to business enterprises. He said 34 per cent of the respondents had not heard about the AfCFTA with majority of the respondents, 18.6 percent who gained information about AfCFTA from the radio and television. The Lead Researcher said, he was optimistic that the findings of the survey, which was also aimed...

What you need to know: A World Bank study report published last year shows MSMEs—better known as SMEs—account for 95 per cent of firms in most countries. A recent IMF study found a whopping 70 per cent of SMEs fail within the first three years, or 23.3 percent-per-year attrition of the initial investment. SMEs in Kenya employ more than 80 per cent of the working population, playing a key role in the country’s economy and growth. In an age when global economies have to innovate to prosper and remain competitive, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which comprise a big portion of private sector entities in developed and developing countries, have emerged as the reservoir of innovation and prosperity. Kenya’s Micro and Small Enterprises Act, 2012 defines a micro-enterprise as a firm, trade, service, industry or business activity whose annual turnover is below Sh500,000 and employees less than 10. A World Bank study report published last year shows MSMEs—better known as SMEs—account for 95 per cent of firms in most countries. They create jobs, contribute to GDP, aid industrial development, satisfy local demand for services, innovate and support large firms with inputs and services. Their critical contribution to broader socioeconomic objectives makes them a key priority area for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Job creation through MSMEs will often directly benefit the poor and vulnerable, particularly women and youth, directly reducing poverty, increasing income and positively influencing household investments in education and health over time. A recent IMF study found...

The legislation will facilitate coordinated border controls for efficient cross-border movements of people and clearance of goods. It will also promote international trade by reducing costs. “It will simplify, harmonise, standardise and modernise border control procedures, resulting in reduced international trade costs by expediting clearance of goods and easing movement of people between Malawi and neighbouring countries,” said Katsonga-Phiri. The minister said his ministry was receiving complaints of delays and harassment in clearing of goods; hence, the one-stop border post seeks to reduce the number of stops in cross-border trade. An assessment of challenges faced on borders established that it took an average of six days to clear goods. “The delays were due to inadequate infrastructure, poor information and commutations technology facilities, inadequate skills, presence of multiple border agencies working in isolation and unharmonised working hours of neighbouring countries,” said Katsonga-Phiri. He expressed concern that delays on borders affect businesses and make trade uncompetitive, adding that with the one-stop border post system, it should take an hour to clear goods. Democratic Progressive Party spokesperson on the Bill, Nicholas Dausi said such kinds of Bills should be promoted. “This will also enhance relationships between Malawi and neighbouring countries. So we support the Bill,” he said. However, he said Malawi should strive to be an exporter and not just importing products from other countries. Mzimba North MP Yeremiah Chihana said there is need for the facilities to benefit border districts too. He said 10 percent of the revenue generated from the border...

Addis Ababa, August 12, 2022 (FBC) – Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) announced a 3.2 million Euro finance for the establishment of the Ethiopia-Djibouti One Stop Border Post. State Minister of the Trade and Regional Integration Ministry, Kasahun Gofe discussed with Secretary General of COMESA Chileshe Kapwepwe on various issues of mutual concern in Lusaka, Zambia. On the occasion, Chileshe Kapwepwe disclosed that COMESA has reached an agreement with the two countries to finance the Ethiopia-Djibouti One Stop Border Post, She said COMESA will continue the budget based on future assessments on the project. COMESA has also a plan to finance construction of a modern market to be built in Moyale town, near the Ethiopia-Kenya border. Read original article

The Bungoma-Malaba highway that links Kenya to Uganda in Malaba town has no cargo traffic. This is unlike the norm where heavy trucks transporting cargo into landlocked East Africa would be a key feature. On Monday when the Star took a tour of the road, the only visible movement was from light cars, boda bodas and pedestrians. A cargo truck would, however, occasionally be seen descending downhill from Amagoro to Malaba where the One Stop Border Post is located. Two weeks to Tuesday’s general election, there was a heavy presence of cargo trucks snaking their way across the border into Uganda to deliver cargo to landlocked East Africa. The traffic snarl-up stretched for over 45km into Kenya. The move to clear the road of traffic may have been taken by cargo haulers as a security precaution ahead of the announcement of presidential results expected today at the Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi. IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati is expected to declare the winner of the presidential race that pitted former Prime Minister Raila Odinga (ODM) and Deputy president William Ruto (UDA),  George Wajackoyah (Roots Party) and David Mwaure of Agano Party. Business is generally running normally at the border town of Malaba, although on a low-scale. The last day heavy cargo traffic was witnessed along the Malaba-Bungoma highway that connects Mombasa to Malaba border was Wednesday when the IEBC began the marathon of tallying results of the election where Kenyans went to the polls to elect President, Senators, Governors, MPs, Woman Representatives...

ZAMBIA Revenue Authority (ZRA) will next year implement an Electronic Cargo Tracking system to curb high incidences of transit fraud, as it donates goods worth K1.5 million to various Government institutions. Assorted goods including motor vehicles were donated to the Disaster Management Mitigation Unit (DMMU), National Parole Board, Financial Intelligence Center (FIC) and the Joint Investigation team under the Zambia Police. Read original article

  Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni urges EAC member states to remove all non-tariff barriers which hamper economic integration and development in the region. President Museveni urges EAC member states to remove all non-tariff barriers to promote economic integration. More by this AuthorRead:“All rice originating from the Republic of Tanzania and with a certificate of origin according to preferential treatment will effective July 27 attract a 0 percent import duty in accordance with paragraph 1(L) of the third Schedule to the VAT Act and Article 15 of the Protocol establishing the East African Community Customs Union,” Mr Rubanda said. Uganda revenue below target second year in a rowReportInvestigationWhile emphasising the need for East African Community member states to allow free trade recently, President Museveni said: “The other time l told Samia Suluhu (Tanzania’s President) that l had pressure from my inefficient farmers in Uganda who said they had started growing rice. l asked them why they are growing rice. They are now telling me Tanzania is growing a lot of rice, which is cheaper, and that I should put a tax on it. l have told them, don’t tell me that nonsense. If you can’t produce cheap rice, go to Tanzania. There must be free trade,” he said. Friday August 12 2022 Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has urged EAC member states to remove unnecessary taxes which hinder economic growth in the regions.Friday August 12 2022 The Bank of Uganda headquarters in Kampala.Subscribers can listen to this article The Africa Super League...

  The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, said that during the month of July another 83,000 people were forced to flee their homes because of the drought, with the worst displacement coming in the Bay, Banadir and Gedo regions. Ishaku Mshelia, deputy emergency coordinator for the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation, told VOA via telephone Wednesday that people are migrating in search of food and other assistance. He said the FAO is trying to help. "Our ability as [a] humanitarian community is to be able to reach the affected people in their communities and provide the services that they need so that they ... don't feel pushed to migrate," Mshelia said. "Unfortunately, previous droughts, what we have seen is that a lot of mortalities have been reported where people that, unfortunately, died on their way to open areas in search of assistance." FAO Somalia said it needs $130 million to fully fund its famine prevention plan, designed to help about a million people in rural areas. A statement issued by the FAO on Wednesday said that if the funding gap is not addressed, widespread famine may be inevitable. Drought-related malnutrition has killed 500 children, according to the U.N. Children's Fund, UNICEF. Authorities in Somalia's Gedo region also confirmed to VOA more than 50 deaths of children due to suspected drought-related illnesses. The deaths were reported in the towns of Bardere and Beledhawo, which border Kenya. Ali Yusuf Abdullahi, the Gedo regional administration spokesman, said that...