Representatives of Kenya and the United States agreed to deepen trade engagement to promote the interests of both countries. Kenya is seeking to negotiate and conclude a trade agreement with the United States. In a statement Tuesday, Industrialization and Trade CS Betty Maina said officials agreed to deepen trade engagement to promote the interests of the two countries. Maina held virtual consultations Monday evening with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai. According to the SC, Ambassador Tai observed that the United States was interested in a work-centered approach to trade policy that fits into the Biden-Harris administration's overall trade policy... For his part, CS Maina expressed Kenya's desire to conclude a trade deal that gives confidence to investors while preserving the country's commitments under its regional, continental and multilateral trade agreements. It comes weeks after Kenya and the UK agreed to use blockchain technology to unlock trade logistics. This was done through the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Institute of Export and International Trade and Trade Mark East Africa at the Kenya High Commission in London. The MoU provides a framework for collaboration to implement a digital trade corridor between the UK and Kenya. The UK-Kenya Trade Logistics Information Pipeline (TLIP) aims to eliminate paperwork and introduce a digital process that increases visibility upstream and downstream of supply chains. The system uses blockchain technology to connect all actors in the supply chain, thus seeking to enable rapid logistics clearance and easier trade. Speaking at the reception hosted by...

The small scale business community in Moyale, Ethio-Kenya border urges the government to come up with an initiative to back their activity from both sides. The Ethiopian side said that it is in the final stages to introduce a protocol that will allow the community in the two border countries’ area to trade and move goods easily. Ethiopian Customs Commission disclosed that it is getting a lesson from Nairobi, which has more experience on One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) with its East African Community peers like Tanzania and Uganda, in order to make effective the Moyale OSBP. On the discussion held between small scale traders at the two Moyales and the customs officers of Kenya and Ethiopia, traders appreciated the improvement of activities at the boarder since Moyale OSBP became operational starting from the first week of June. While on the discussion held at the Ethiopian side of OSBP, traders expressed their desire to see improvements on the border trade particularly on the Ethiopian side to ease the transportation of commodities to the Kenyan Moyale border. One of the traders said that the situation from the Kenyan side is good and requested the Ethiopian side to smoothen the border trade similar to Kenya. Abebe Ersumo, Deputy Head for Operation at Moyale Customs Branch of Ethiopian Customs Commission (ECC), said that the OSBP, which was inaugurated on December 9, 2020 by the head of governments of the two countries had become operational as of June 9, and has since then been successfully...

Financed by TradeMark Africa and implemented by Tanzania Women Traders' Association, the project has so far witnessed more than 200 women entrepreneurs given knowledge and skills to produce quality products. TradeMark Africa’s Country Director for Tanzania, Monica Hangi said in Dar es Salaam on Friday during TWCC's exhibition which was also meant to congratulate women entrepreneurs who took part in the 45th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair, at which TWCC won an award that their products are not competing in the market. “Congratulations to TWCC Chairperson, Mercy Silla and TWCC Executive Director, Mwajuma Hamza for a job well done. Many of these entrepreneurs now have TBS logo, they can sell their products abroad, they have reliable markets that is a big deal for us,” Hangi said. She said TradeMark Africa’s project had the goal of helping Tanzanian women traders to do business not only locally, but cross borders by securing permanent reliable markets. “Sometimes you can find a market but you no longer have enough products to continue producing but for most their production is sustainable,” she added. On his part, TradeMark Africa Women in Trade Project Manager, Elibariki Shammy also commended TWCC and their members for the success. “We are really happy, because we have supported TWCC, and they have proved to be very effective, especially in reaching out to rural women,” Shammy said. He said when the project started, many of the women had no TBS quality mark hence failed to reach the larger markets and compete....

The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) says its Booster Program targeting 2000 Micro, Small and Medium sized enterprises (MSMES) has surpassed the set target with over 2,500 MSMES receiving training on various issues. Launched on launched on 25th February 2021, the training covered Introduction to e-commerce, digital marketing, aftersales, content creation & management. KEPSA says 1300 businesses were on-boarded onto various ecommerce marketplaces to increase and diversify their revenue streams hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic. The MSMEs targeted by the program were struggling with their digital brand presence with majority of the MSMES reporting they were either unaware of missed opportunities or did not have a digital brand strategy, which means they were edged out by their counterparts already offering their products and services online. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause disruptions in global and regional value chains, it is clear that e-commerce is an important tool and solution for both businesses and consumers. E-commerce can support small businesses in reducing their costs and effectively reaching their customers; it is an economic driver for both domestic growth and international trade that makes economies more competitive. The COVID-19 pandemic has occasioned a spike in business-to-consumers (B2C) online sales and an increase in Business-to-Business (B2B) e-commerce. The increase in B2C sales is particularly evident in online sales of medical supplies, household essentials and food products. As a result, attention has been drawn to several challenges hindering the full potential of ecommerce across countries. During the program, MSMEs gained the digital skills...

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the world's leading shipping organization, accounting for about 80 per cent of global merchant tonnage. An ICS study published in March this year titled Protectionism in Maritime Economies found that reducing restrictive trade policies could boost Africa's post-COVID-19 economic recovery by billions of dollars. For Africa Renewal, Finbarr Toesland interviewed ICS Secretary-General Guy Platten on a range of shipping and trade-related issues, including how the organisation can support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The interview was edited for brevity. Africa Renewal: Let's talk about the ICS' recent study. What were its most striking findings, particularly those relating to trade? What we found in the report is that non-tariff barriers have a disproportionate effect on GDP and getting rid of them could make a considerable difference in terms of actually increasing a country's wealth. We know that African nations could boost their prospects of a post-COVID-19 economic recovery by removing some of these restrictive maritime trade policies. Currently, the global maritime trade is worth $14 trillion. Africa has a lot of potentials to become a maritime trade hub. We are suggesting that if members of the African Union were to just halve their trade restrictions, that could lead to a 1 per cent increase in GDP for an average African economy. What are some of the measures that countries can take to improve trade? Protectionist measures really hinder free trade. There are many administrative hurdles to overcome in many countries just...

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has accredited 14 companies as Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) at regional and national level respectively. Comfoam Ltd, Jaffer Freight Ltd, Blow Plastics (U) Ltd, Unistrong Investments Ltd, Tian Tang Group Ltd, Uganda Tobacco Services Ltd, Nile Roofings Ltd,Hong Hai Wood (U) Ltd, Luuka Plastics Ltd, Ada’s Enterprises, Mandela Millers Ltd, Flit Links International Ltd, Chickways (U) Ltd and Geroma among others. The AEO is a trade facilitation programme which customs department in URA is under taking to facilitate trade and promote security of international trade. Under this arrangement, businesses which comply with custom laws and regulations benefit from customs preferential treatments such as fast clearances of their goods through simplified procedures and reduced inspection. “These are people who on their own declare their taxes and pay them without any enforcement action. We want to appreciate and congratulate the members who have been enrolled today and we want to encourage them to continue leading by example,” URA Commissioner General (CG) John Musinguzi said at the launch of AEOs at Skyz Hotel Naguru on Friday. Musinguzi says declaring and paying own taxes reduces the cost of doing business through eliminating delays but also enables companies to offer better services due to the simplified clearance processes. Abel Kagumire, the Commissioner Customs says that the accredited companies have supported URA in making sure that they spread the message of compliance in addition to supporting the national agenda of development. “Our enforcement activities are now geared towards noncompliance. If we...

KAMPALA – President Yoweri Museveni has on Sunday held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali who is in Uganda on a one-day working visit. The two leaders, according to sources discussed various issues and agreed to further strengthen cooperation in bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest. Ethiopia and Uganda have been cooperating in various peace processes in the region. The meeting was attended by the Ethiopian Minister – Head of Prosperity Party Main Office Binalf Anduwalem, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Redwan Hussain and Alemtsehay Meseret, Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary to Uganda. The meeting was also attended by Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gen. Jeje Odongo and Uganda’s High Commissioner to Addis Ababa Rebecca Amuge Otengo. Read original article

.Lauds JPM for keeping economy open amid Covid-19 THE East African Business Council (EABC) has called for a deeper collaboration between the Public and Private sectors to boost East African Community (EAC) intra-trade. Also, the council has lauded President John Magufuli for a job well done, especially in spearheading major economic reforms in the country. Amid the global economic disruptions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, EAC private sector wants to steer better relations as a strategy to boost trade and investment in the region. The leaders noted that the decision by President Magufuli to keep the economy open, offered the private sector a major relief in terms of business resilience as it also strengthened local supply chains. EABC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Peter Mathuki said that is the spirit for the region - both public and private sector to move forward and business to prosper. It came about after consultations of CEOs at a roundtable meeting organized by the EABC in collaboration with German Development Agency (GIZ) with a theme 'Creating Perspectives Project', convening companies' CEOs with an aim of deliberating on approaches that the private sector can explore to revamp businesses amid the pandemic. Tanzania took absolutely a different approach in dealing with Covid-19, by President Magufuli who seeks a second term in office led the nation in style, by ruling out lockdown, letting business go on but with taking reasonable protective measures and it paid handsomely. In spite of the situation in the bloc, Africa and world...

In Summary Traders from both sides of the border cross over to buy and sell grains and fruits, defying Covid-19 restrictions. Many Ugandans trading in Malaba said Kenya is their primary market and they have no option but make the short trip across. Small-scale grocery and fruit traders from Kenya and Uganda have returned to business in Malaba despite a ban on cross-border movement. Traders from both sides of the border cross over to buy and sell grains and fruits, defying Covid-19 restrictions to make ends meet. Many Ugandans trading in Malaba said Kenya is their primary market and they have no option but make the short trip across. Richard Maasai, a Ugandan a wholesaler of ripe bananas in Malaba, Kenya said business has been badly hit by the border closure. “Since the border was shut, we have not been selling our stock. We have been forced to cross the border because we need money. Taking care of our families has been difficult.” Maasai said local prices for the fruit have skyrocketed due to restrictions on the Ugandan side of the border. He buys the bananas from Mbale in eastern Uganda and ferries them using friendly cargo truck drivers. Maasai sends the money to drivers to bring the goods. Once delivered, he crosses the border into Kenya where he sells during the day and returns home to Uganda in the evening. “We are appealing to the Kenyan and Ugandan governments to reopen the border. Our businesses are dying. We will...

With three of the eight candidates to become the next leader of the World Trade Organization (WTO) coming from Africa, BBC Africa business editor Zawadi Mudibo looks at what difference having one of them at the helm would make for the continent. There is a growing feeling among African diplomats that someone from the continent should be at the helm of one of the world's top economic institutions. Whereas an American has always led the World Bank and a European has always been at the head of the International Monetary Fund, an African has never taken an equivalent position. But if one from Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Kenya's Amina Mohamed or Egypt's Abdel-Hamid Mamdouh emerges from the long selection process as the WTO's next director-general, the continent can feel that it is playing in the same league as the rest of the world. image captionGarment factories, like this one in Kenya, could benefit if trade opened up The WTO sets the rules for global trade and adjudicates in trade disputes between nations. It is also, according to its website, supposed to "open trade for the benefit of all". The Geneva-based organisation's ability to get global agreements of basic principles that every country signs up to has been hamstrung in recent years but the WTO leader has influence and a bully pulpit. The director-general attends G7 and G20 meeting and can broker disputes between world leaders. But is there more to be gained for the continent aside from the diplomatic profile? 'Trade...