Michel Minega Sebera (R), Permanent Secretary at the ministry of trade and Country Manager, TradeMark Africa (TMA), Patience Mutesi sign the agreement. (Courtesy) The Ministry of Trade and Industry on Wednesday received $11.2m (approximately Rwf10bn) that will among others fund the construction of cross-border markets in different parts of the country. The money was announced on Wednesday during the signing of an agreement between the Permanent Secretary at the ministry, Michael Sebera and the Country Manager, TradeMark Africa (TMA), Patience Mutesi. The funds will partly go towards the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) to support the negotiation and implementation of trade agreements. The money will also be used for the construction and operationalization of cross border markets in different districts, according to officials from the ministry. Cross-border markets were introduced to help citizens around border communities to trade easily with neighbouring countries and also to formalise their trade practices. A number of these have already been built and in March this year, TradeMark Africa handed to government two of them – one in Rusizi District and another one in Rubavu District. The latest funding will specifically come from the United Kingdom through the Department for International Development (DfID) and the USAID. Speaking at the signing, Sebera noted that previous interventions of TradeMark Africa in the country have had a tremendous impact on the economy, saying they were crucial in the export growth the country has experienced over the years. He said that export growth has averaged to 10.8 per cent...

A team photo taken at VCC’s booth. (From left to right) Mr Sivam K., Business Development Director of VCC, Mr George Chan, General Manager (Africa) of VCC and Mr Viboon Chaojirapant, Product Development Director of VCC Facilitating Cross-border Trade with CamelONE™ The three-day World Customs Organisation IT/TI Conference and Exhibition was held at the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku. Around 900 delegates from 90 countries attended this event. The theme for this year is “New technologies for SMART borders – New opportunities for Trade, Travel and Transport”. Delegates were encouraged to explore different ways to achieve seamless and secured cross-borders trades. During the Tech Talk session, our Product Development Director, Mr Viboon Chaojirapant, shared about the importance of cross-border transit trade. VCC is also actively involved in the Single Customs Territory (SCT) Project which is funded by TradeMark Africa. One of the key objectives of this project is to provide a seamless flow of goods to enhance East Africa Community (EAC) trade. Lastly, Mr Viboon Chaojirapant also shared about the CAREC Advanced Transit System (CATS) and Customs Information Common Exchange (ICE) trade facilitation projects. CATS and ICE are two of the five priority areas identified by the CAREC Customs Cooperation Committee. CATS helps remove regional transit impediments while ICE establishes a data exchange mechanism. The Tech Talk session gave the delegates a better understanding of VCC, our solutions and also insights about cross-border trade. Many delegates went over to VCC’s booth after the session, to speak to Mr Viboon Chaojirapant to...

Some of the guests attending the Trademark East Africa UK Business Meeting at Serena Hotel, Kampala (PHOTO/Abraham) KAMPALA – Trademark East Africa (TMA) aid-for-trade,  with presence in several African countries, has welcomed firms in the UK to invest in Uganda. TMA has a regional presence in South Sudan, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This was during a meeting held at the Kampala Serena Hotel where various entrepreneurs and had an interactive session. The major agenda was about reducing on the bottlenecks that are hampering trade within the East African region. Mr. Moses Sabiiti, the Country Director and Programmes Manager in South Sudan revealed that East Africa is faced with high costs of doing business in comparison to other countries elsewhere. “We have the highest cost of doing business compared to other countries and this has yielded low dividends to the public. This arises from transport due to the poor infrastructure among others.”He noted. Mr. Sabiiti also stressed that TMA intends to promote trade advancements on a regional and International level. Mr. Richard Kamajugo, TMA’s Chief Operating Officer, revealed that the national electric single window has spread to a regional level and other transformations such as Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) , trade systems, mutual recognition among others are some of the achievements that have talked bottlenecks in trade. “We have for the last 25 years been working on sustainable ways to deal with poverty and this is through doing business effectively.  Due to this, some of the challenges...

The UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Uganda, Lord Popat of Harrow, is in Uganda to further strengthen trade ties between Uganda and the UK. He is visiting together with UK companies engaged in the agricultural sector and spoke at the Agri-connect conference being held at the Serena Hotel. The conference sought to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to strengthen trade relations and opportunities with Uganda. The Agri-connect conference is hosted by the UK’s Department for International Trade in collaboration with Uganda Export Promotion Board and seeks to expand the UK’s investment in developing new supply chains in the agricultural sector in Uganda. During his visit, Lord Popat has also undertaken site visits to companies exporting goods to the UK including the Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited and Kakira Sugar Works Limited. On Monday, he delivered the keynote address at the Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs conference where he shared his experience in business with young entrepreneurs. Lord Popat will meet with key stakeholders in the agricultural, health and energy sectors and with President Yoweri Museveni. The Uganda Ministry of Agriculture recently signed a £120 million MOU with two UK companies, Alvan Blanch and COLAS UK Ltd to develop agro-processing plants in Uganda. This is part of a £600 million UK Export Credit that is available to Uganda and is already financing the construction of Hoima International Airport and Kampala Industrial Business Park Namanve. Lord Popat expects his visit to Uganda will further build mutual prosperity for both the UK and Uganda....

As we are now used to seeing and hearing, whenever the mainstream media report about Africa, it is always gloomy. This past week it has not been any different; former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s dramatic death in a courtroom, ethnic clashes in Mali that took hundreds, Ebola’s reemergence and a mysterious cargo of billions of new Ugandan bank notes that is begging for answers. There was little reporting about the coming into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) and some good news from West African countries that could see them become the first to benefit from ACFTA. The 15-member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have announced their intention of creating one single currency to be named the Eco. All that remains is a few house cleaning matters such as creating the exchange-rate regime as well as the monetary policy framework. ECOWAS is walking the talk, something that should cause other regional organisations to sit up and watch, especially the East African Community (EAC). That organisation does not tolerate trouble-makers in its region; it has taken up arms against Boku Haram and other Muslim fundamentalist groups, and forcefully showed the intransigent Gambian strongman Yahya Jammeh the door. Now they have taken the next leap of faith in their journey towards integration, though it will be curious to know what role France will play in the new currency seeing that it controls the CFA, the common currency used in its former colonies. But definitely,...

The Democratic Republic of Congo has applied to join the East African Community in a move that could potentially expand the boundaries of the trading bloc to the Atlantic coast of Africa. The application comes following months of talks between DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda President Paul Kagame, who chairs the East African Community. Sources familiar with the diplomatic talks that preceded the formal application say most EAC member states are enthusiastic about DR Congo's membership. The DRC officially communicated its intention to join the EAC in a letter to President Kagame dated June 8. Kinshasa said its desire to join the bloc was informed by its increasing trade ties with the region. In response, President Kagame directed the EAC Secretariat to table DR Congo's application for discussion at the next Heads of State Summit in November. If it meets the admission requirements, members will vote on its admission. GAME CHANGER The potential membership of the Central African country is being viewed as a game-changer, given its natural resources wealth and a huge consumer market of 81 million people. It is the world's biggest producer of cobalt, a major component in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, and Africa's main copper producer. It also a major producer of gold, diamonds, uranium, coltan, oil and other precious metals, making it one of the most resource-rich countries in the world. DR Congo is also host to the world's second-longest river, the Congo, vast swathes of fertile soil, potentially...

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has written to President Paul Kagame, current chairperson of the East African Community asking to join. A letter dated June 8, 2019 and signed by the head of State, Felix Tshisekedi expresses an interest DRC has in joining the community now made of 6 country members – South Sudan being the latest. “Following the conversation we had in Kigali and later on in Kinshasa and the interest that showed my country to adhere to the community of the East African Community, I am honored to make an official adhesion request,” reads the letter addressed to President Paul Kagame in part. Tshisekedi said that, the decision is informed by the “increasing trade between his country and the EAC country members.” “Would you kindly present to your counterparts – heads of state – our passionate wish to join the organization so that we can contribute to the development of this sub-region,” the letter reads. Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya and South Sudan are the six member states of the EAC. ‘The giant of Africa’ totaling 2.3 million square kilometers with 81.3 million habitats(2017),DRC is a big trade to all the EAC member states. News of the DRC’s request to join EAC was confirmed by Olivier Nduhungirehe, State Minister in charge of East African community at Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.   Source KTC Press

The Government of Denmark through her development arm – Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) is to invest some US $9 million (about Shs33.5 billion in improving informal cross border trade and goods standards across Uganda. The money which will be channeled through TradeMark Africa comes as a major boost for the thousands of informal traders plying their businesses at the different borders as it will ensure that their working environments are improved. Over 70 per cent of informal cross border traders in Uganda are women. In addition, part of the money will go towards the improving of the standards of goods manufactured in Uganda. The Head of Mission of the Danish Embassy, Majbrit Holm Jakobsen notes, “Denmark is passionate about promoting private sector development in Uganda. We appreciate Uganda’s efforts to improve the business environment, but more needs to be done, that is why Danida is glad to further partner with TradeMark Africa in increasing trade in the region by creating the necessary conditions for the private sector especially the informal traders who constitute the majority of cross border trade in Uganda. Informal trade directly impacts on the livelihood of the bottom of pyramid which is a key element of Denmark’s engagement in development aid.” Richard Kamajugo, the TMA Chief Operations Officer notes, “We appreciate the continued partnership with the Danida in its support to the Government of Uganda through TradeMark Africa. Danida has already funded the implementation of the Uganda Electronic Single Window which has had a real impact...

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