Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has launched a partnership with global technology firm mPedigree to improve the agro-inputs protection technology among its members. The partnership, launched under the COMESA Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) Seed programme, will help the bloc to eliminate faking and counterfeiting of agro-inputs materials like seeds and fertiliser among its member states. This move promises a deeper penetration into the supply chains and access to new ecosystem support for Kenya, where the technology is already in use. “The system will assist the region to not only eliminate cases of fake agro-inputs such as seeds, fertilisers and crop protection products, but also boost trade in quality and improved certified seed,” said Serlom Branttie, mPedigree Global Strategy Director. Fraudulent trade in fake agro-inputs has greatly contributed to the poor performance of over 80 million small-scale farmers and to food insecurity in the region. Source: Media Max

Trade Mark East Africa wants Busia Kenya and Uganda to get a higher percentage of improved customs revenue at the border points. TMA chief technical officer Allen Asiimwe said integrated border management has improved systems at Busia and Malaba. “Through transparency, a lot of increased customs revenue has been realised. I hope some of that money comes back to Busia,” she said. Kenya and Uganda revenue officers agree that customs revenue has recorded tremendous increase due to improved border management at the Busia One Stop Border Post. Despite the increase in revenue, KRA cited some problems including the fact that the Kisumu-Busia road leading to the OSBP is too narrow and in a poor state. Other problems are insufficient facilities like scanners, screening machines and an ambulance and obstruction of traffic to and from the OSBP caused by buses /matatus picking and dropping passengers. Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong in February cited lack of terms of engagement as the main reason border counties were losing resources. The Governor said failure by the national government to execute its mandate has put leaders of such counties on a coalition course with their residents. Source: The Star

The ambitious African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) which technically enters into force on 30 May could be the game changer for Africa’s hitherto lacklustre economy. Driven by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the process of reaching this point may well have broken all African records. African Union member states launched negotiations to create this huge market of 1.2-billion people with a GDP of over $3.4-trillion in only March last year. Jakkie Cilliers, head of African Futures and Innovation at the Institute for Security Studies, calculates that the AfCFTA, if properly implemented, would boost Africa’s economic growth and reduce extreme poverty more than any other single factor in the long term. In a forthcoming book on Africa’s future, Cilliers reports on the results of forecasts done using the International Futures software on the likely impacts of 11 major transitions: social grants, rejuvenated education, peace, a fourth wave of democracy, improved health, external support, a demographic dividend (a timely bulge in the size of the working-age population), an upsurge in local manufacturing, an African agricultural revolution, leapfrogging outdated technologies – and the AfCFTA. Cilliers found that other drivers such as social grants, agriculture, leapfrogging and manufacturing would make the biggest difference in the short term. But by 2050, the AfCFTA would clearly be exerting the greatest impact on GDP per capita and extreme poverty. For example in lower-middle-income countries it would be boosting annual GDP per capita by over $1 500, compared to the next biggest factor, technology leapfrogging, which would be...

A team of African Union assessors who are currently in the country have given Nairobi thumbs up saying will retreat to write their recommendations. The secretariat will be tasked with coordinating activities of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area which seeks to create the biggest borderless economic bloc in the world. The Africa Continental Free Trade Area seeks to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments, and thus pave the way for accelerating the establishment of the Continental Customs Union and the African customs union. Signed by 52 of the 55 African countries, the Africa Continental Free Trade Area will create a Ksh300 trillion shillings free-trade zone. It also seeks to expand intra African trade through better harmonization and coordination of trade liberalization and facilitation regimes. Kenya is among six countries including Ethiopia, Ghana, Egypt, Senegal and Madagascar, who are bidding to host the Africa Continental Free Trade Area secretariat. Kenya’s push to host the secretariat is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which today hosted the technical team from the Africa Union headquarters assessing all bidding countries. The team is expected to write its report next month before the host country is announced in August. Amb. Kamau says hosting the secretariat would cement Kenya’s role as a lead country in trade and multilateralism but it would also avail Africa the best venue and the best opportunity to grow free trade to its full potential. Source: VIPortal

According to the press release, FSX aims to enhance the status of preparedness for and response to infectious disease outbreaks in the EAC, thereby making the region safe for the people and businesses in the region. An estimated 250 participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda and representatives from regional, supra-regional and international institutions and organisations will participate in the exercise. Experts say seventy-five percent of infectious diseases are transmitted between animals and humans. Outbreaks affect agriculture, trade and tourism and the lives and livelihoods of the people. “Involving these sectors in prevention, response and mitigation reflects what is called the “One Health” disease management approach,” officials say. The EAC region has experienced cases of Ebola, Rift Valley, Marburg and Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic fevers, Cholera, Polio and Plague among others. The current Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has so far caused over 1,600 human cases and more than 1,000 deaths, remains a major threat to the health and socio-economic wellbeing of the people of East Africa, says the press release. “Therefore, the region needs to be prepared and the ongoing efforts to operationalize national and regional contingency plans need to be strengthened. In this regard, the planned cross-border Field Simulation Exercise aims to strengthen the capacities of all people involved in preventing and responding to infectious disease outbreaks across different professions and sectors of society.” An FSX is an interactive instrument to evaluate the status of preparedness for and response...

Trade Mark East Africa (TMA) has confirmed receipt of Sh600million from the British government to be used in upgrading the road leading to Busia town to a dual-carriageway.Part of the money, according to TMA officials, will be used in expanding One Stop Border Post (OSBP) in the border towns of Malaba and Busia.Expansion of the narrow road between Mundika and Busia town will get rid of the congestion of the heavy commercial vehicles that park on the road whenever there is network failure at the Customs office.Speaking yesterday after meeting Canadian High Commissioner to Kenya Lisa Stadelbauer and officers from TMA, Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi hinted that design for the dual-carriageway will be completed by June this year before works starts.He said the One Stop Border Post in Busia was overcrowded and thus need to expand it like the Ugandan side which has enough space for the trailers.“The main concern for our people is the road leading to Busia town from Mundika, it needs some expansion because it very narrow when hundreds of trailers use it daily,” said Mulomi. Source: Standard Digital

East African exports to the rest of the continent could be boosted by almost $1bn by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), according to the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The office for Eastern Africa of the ECA also said the AfCFTA could create between 500,000 and 1.9m jobs. Source: Supply Management

The African continental free trade area (AfCFTA) is among the most momentous of developments in trade. Signed by 52 African states, it is by number of participating countries the largest trade agreement since the formation of the World Trade Organisation. It occurs not just in an international climate of aversion to free trade, notably with stalemate at the WTO and bellicose US trade policy, but also in a climate in which trade agreements just don’t seem possible. Many negotiations have been drawn out and time consuming, often languishing without ever entering into force. These include – but are not limited to – the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Free Trade Area of the Americas, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the European Union’s economic partnership agreements, and the tripartite free trade area. The AfCFTA is different. Despite capacity constraints and the diversity of their countries, African negotiators have worked industriously and effectively. This is an important moment for Africa. The AfCFTA consolidates progressively 55 fragmented African countries into a market of 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of $2.3 trillion, roughly the size of the India. Research at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa forecasts it to have the potential to boost intra-African trade by between 50 per cent-100 per cent, depending on the extent to which non-tariff barriers are also reduced. It has been driven by firm political commitment. The threshold number of country ratifications required for the agreement was reached within one year, a pace of ratifications that...

EAST African Community (EAC) Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Mr Christophe Bazivamo, has said the EAC draft Investment Policy, currently under consideration by the Council of Ministers, envisages a transformed upper middleincome EAC that is a competitive common investment area. The EAC official told participants of an EAC –facilitation, liberalisation and protection of cross-border investment. “Partner states are to streamline and simplify administrative procedures related to investments, promote and maintain dialogue with the private sector and exchange business information,” said Mr Bazivamo. He further disclosed that the EAC had at the regional level, through the Consultative Dialogue Framework, developed an open channel where the private sector, civil society and other interest groups interface with the Secretary General. Mr Bazivamo reaffirmed the Secretariat’s role in advocating for a better and conducive climate investment in the region. “I take this opportunity to thank our partners Afrika Verein and EABC for continued good working relationship and request for further collaboration in supporting the private sector, to achieve the business goals and promote the region as an ideal place to invest and do business,” he added. On his part, East African Business Council (EABC) Executive Director Mr Peter Mathuki was optimistic that if Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) which hindered trade within the EAC Common Market are removed, the domestic demand and market of over 150 million people from the six EAC partner states will attract investments from Germany and all over the world as it will be more economically viable...

The  Busia Deputy Governor, Moses  Mulomi has urged the Kenya Highways Authority (KeNHA) to start the construction of the Busia to Kisumu highway. Speaking  after holding consultative talks with the Canadian High Commissioner to Kenya, Ms. Lisa  Stadelbauer  in his office on Wednesday, Mulomi said the ongoing works were merely temporary by Kenha after consultation with the County government to carry out pothole patching and improve drainage along the road. “The main contract will comprise improving the road to Busia to a dual carriage way and ensuring that other supportive structures are in place,” he said. He announced an additional funding of Sh.100 million to the initial Sh.200 million that will be used to improve part of infrastructure in the town. “By June, the design work will be complete and I hope by the end of the year, the works will have started,” he said and explained that additional activities will  include part of the dualling. The deputy governor further raised concerns over the issue of parking especially of trailers along the road awaiting transit to Uganda and other East African Community  states. “We have already bought six acres of land at Mundika and with additional funding, we hope to construct a modern trailer park with facilities like a police station and  other requisite facilities,” he said. The Deputy Governor further said a five kilometre road will soon be constructed by Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) to enhance activities between the town and Alupe  University College. “We hope that very...