This photo taken on April 4, 2024, shows a statue (L) and Kigali Convention Centre in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui) Delegates at the Trade Development Forum 2024 have called for strengthened efforts to promote digital innovation as a means of unlocking Africa's trade and business potential. KIGALI, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Delegates at the Trade Development Forum 2024 have called for strengthened efforts to promote digital innovation as a means of unlocking Africa's trade and business potential. The forum, which opened Monday in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, was organized by TradeMark Africa (TMA), an aid-for-trade organization with the aim of growing prosperity in Africa through trade, in cooperation with the Rwandan government. It focuses on the transformative power of digital innovation under the theme "Unlocking Africa's Trade Potential Through Digital Innovation." Speaking at the event, Prudence Sebahizi, Rwandan minister of trade and industry, underscored the crucial role of technology in overcoming trade barriers, fostering connections and enabling inclusive economic growth. "This year's theme reflects the aspirations of our continent to build a digitally connected and economically inclusive Africa. Today, we stand on the threshold of unprecedented opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and technology is the engine driving this transformation," Sebahizi said. He highlighted Rwanda's achievements in trade facilitation through initiatives like the Electronic Single Window system, which has significantly reduced trade processing times and costs. "Technology enables us to enhance efficiency, cut trade costs and ensure that Africa's vast market is more...

The Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene speaks during the Africa Trade Development Forum in Kigali on Monday, December 2. Courtesy. Africa has achieved different levels of digital trade, with some regions making more progress than others. Work must be done to connect the scattered dots and ensure the continent becomes a single digital market. The appeal was made by various leaders at the just-concluded Africa Trade Development Forum in Kigali, co-hosted by the government of Rwanda and TradeMark Africa. The forum was held under the theme, 'Unlocking Africa's trade potential through digital innovation.’ ALSO READ: How digitalisation is transforming trade in Africa The Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, cited the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol (AfCFTA DTP) as one of the ways digital trade fragmentations can be addressed on the continent. "We have seen how digital technologies have enabled trade and made it more efficient especially in the East African region. The AfCFTA DTP intends to consolidate all these efforts and create a single digital market," he said. The AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol was adopted in February 2024, with negotiations still ongoing on annexes such as rules of origin and cross border digital payments. According to Annette Ssemuwemba, Deputy Secretary General Customs, Trade and Monetary Affairs at the East African Community, more still needs to be done to ensure a seamless flow of trade in the region. “The electronic single windows were meant to be integrated so that we are...

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD the  Trade facilitation report: driving African trade through digitalisation The Trade Facilitation Report is the inaugural knowledge report by TradeMark Africa (TMA). It was launched in Kigali, Rwanda, on 3 December 2024 at the conclusion of the Africa Trade Development Forum 2024. ODI Global researchers – Dirk Willem te Velde, Yohannes Ayele, Maximiliano Mendez-Parra and Linda Calabrese – contributed to shaping the ideas of the report. Recognising trade facilitation as a critical element for improving Africa’s trading environment, the Trade Facilitation Report addresses the priorities, lessons, risks and opportunities associated with trade facilitation in Africa. It seeks to outline ideas, opportunities, principles and priorities that should guide governmental actions and continental reforms in trade facilitation. The primary message is clear: investing in trade facilitation yields substantial long-term benefits in growth for both the private sector and consumers, and advances in digital technology mean that this area is now particularly fertile to drive gains. This document presents evidence of these benefits and lessons learned from various interventions across Africa, particularly from the impact of digitalisation in reducing the time and cost of trade for countries. It also highlights the disparities in policy frameworks and digital infrastructure, which, if effectively addressed, will further stimulate opportunities for intra-African trade. Lastly, it outlines risks that states should be wary of while accelerating digitalisation for trade.

David Beer, CEO of TradeMark Africa speaks exclusively to The New Times. The digitalisation of trade has increased efficiencies in trade processes and changed how trade is conducted on the continent. However, a number of challenges need to be addressed in order to streamline digital trade and ensure its benefits are realised and shared inclusively. The New Times’ Tesi Kaven spoke to David Beer, the CEO of TradeMark Africa on the challenges, opportunities, and the future of digital trade in Africa. Below are the excerpts: How is digitalisation changing trade in Africa? We have seen improvements in the reduction of cost and time of trading across borders after digitalising many trade processes. At TradeMark Africa, we have implemented over 100 digital trade processes in conjunction with our government and private sector partners across Eastern Africa and even further. We have seen the average time to complete trade processes come down by around two thirds or 66 hours. That makes a big difference to exporters and increases their margins and makes them more profitable. We have worked with the government of Rwanda to put in place the electronic single window, which has reduced the time taken to complete those trade processes by half. We have also worked with the government of Kenya to put in place their integrated customers management system that reduced the time to clear air freight from about four days to just a couple of hours. In Uganda, we did the same thing and saw annual costs come...

EIGHT Tanzanian exporters have secured agreements to deliver 960 metric tonnes of fruits and vegetables to Britain, estimated at $2.8m annually if it is sustained. Anthony Chamanga, the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) chief development manager, said at a press conference yesterday that horticultural farmers are staring at an export windfall as the UK’s broad and lucrative market opens its gates. The UK, renowned as one of the world's most lucrative marketplaces, has approved eight Tanzanian horticultural export companies for entry, offering a promising opportunity for local farmers. The rising demand in the UK for fresh produce, fueled by the health-conscious middle class, has positioned fruits and vegetables as the top performers in imported food items. Mbelwa Kairuki, the country’s high commissioner to the UK, played an essential role in linking local exporters with UK buyers, with dedicated collaboration from TAHA. Experts predict this venture will create approximately 3,800 job opportunities along the supply chain, helping to boost agro-sector unemployment. The Horticulture Exports Accelerator Program (HEAP), a newly developed initiative in partnership with TAHA, was facilitated by a delegation of eight local companies making the trip to connect with leading UK importers and explore collaboration opportunities. The TAHA executive led the delegation, participating in a key event held by the Fresh Produce Consortium to present their products and finalize contracts with potential buyers. During their visit, the Tanzanian delegation also explored Spitalfields Market, a central wholesale hub for horticultural imports in London, setting up networking contacts with traders for future partnerships....

(Togo First) - On October 28 and 29, the city of Aneho, near the border with Benin, hosted a training workshop for 50 women and young traders from Togo’s maritime region. Participants learned about customs procedures and regulatory requirements for cross-border trade, particularly along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor. The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Trade and Crafts, and backed by the World Bank's West African Food System Resilience Program (FSRP). The training aimed to improve understanding of the rules governing cross-border trade, making it easier to export goods. Batchassi Katchali, Director of Foreign Trade, underscored women’s role women in regional trade and noted the challenges they face, such as a lack of information on trade opportunities. FSRP representative Nator Koffi Edoh emphasized that workshops like the recent one will help participants enhance their trading activities along the corridor. Also, they align with the government’s efforts to build trade capacity across Togo, covering topics like customs procedures and the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA).

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), established in 2018, is the world’s largest free trade agreement, uniting 54 of Africa’s 55 countries under a common market of 1.3 billion people. The agreement is designed to drive economic growth, enhance intra-African trade, and attract investment across the continent by reducing trade barriers. Kenya, a key player in Africa’s agricultural exports, is looking to leverage this agreement to expand its tea trade and improve the livelihoods of its farmers. CNN’s Victoria Rubadiri recently visited Kericho, one of Kenya’s renowned tea-growing regions, to explore the role of tea in the AfCFTA. During her visit, she spoke with Antony Kinara Margia, an experienced tea farmer who expressed hope that the agreement could unlock new opportunities for Kenyan farmers. “Better returns for farmers may come from adding value to the tea and finding better markets. Let them not stick to one particular market; they can go elsewhere where they can get a better price. Currently, the prices offered are not very favorable to us as farmers,” said Margie. Farmers like Margia’s sentiments underscore the importance of diversifying trade opportunities beyond traditional markets. By expanding into new African markets, tea producers could realize better returns, enhancing the sector’s overall sustainability. Kenya is one of seven countries chosen to lead tariff-free trade under the AfCFTA’s Guided Trade Initiative. However, despite the promise of the initiative, logistical challenges remain. Lindah Oluoch, CEO of the Kenya Tea Growers Association, highlighted the difficulties experienced during the initial implementation of...

The strategy aims to boost trade across member states, with a focus on trade facilitation, regional integration, and capacity building. TradeMark Africa (TMA), an organization focused on promoting trade and economic development across African nations, has launched a new initiative aimed at enhancing value addition in Uganda’s agricultural sector. Since its establishment in 2011, TMA has been working to reduce trade barriers and foster regional integration, and this latest move marks a significant step toward increasing Uganda’s agricultural productivity. Speaking to journalists, Monica Hangi, regional director for East and Central Africa at TradeMark Africa, outlined the organization’s ambitious seven-year strategy, running from 2023 to 2030. The strategy aims to boost trade across member states, with a focus on trade facilitation, regional integration, and capacity building. Ms Hangi revealed that TMA has secured USD 1 billion in funding from 13 donors to support the program. "Discussions in Uganda have centered around value chain enhancement within the agricultural sector, particularly empowering and supporting youth in this area," she explained. With agriculture contributing 24% of Uganda’s GDP and employing over 70% of its workforce, the potential for growth through value addition is immense. The initiative is designed to improve the competitiveness of Uganda’s agricultural products, which could significantly increase farmers’ incomes and generate jobs. Ms Hangi also highlighted TMA’s broader impact, noting that their infrastructure investments across Africa have spurred a 12.8% growth in regional trade, largely due to streamlined trade processes and better market access for agricultural products. During a two-day stakeholder...

ARUSHA: TANZANIA’S High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Mbelwa Kairuki, in partnership with the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), has effectively connected local exporters to potential UK buyers. As a result, eight Tanzanian horticultural export companies have finalised agreements to export a total of 960 metric tonnes of fruits and vegetables to the UK. This initiative is expected to bring in an estimated 2.8 million US dollars (about 7.6tri/-) annually to Tanzania’s economy. Experts predict that this endeavour will generate 3,800 decent jobs throughout the supply chain—from farms to packaging facilities—marking a significant advancement in tackling the unemployment challenges in the country. Expressing his satisfaction, Ambassador Kairuki stated, “I take great pride in having connected our horticulture exporters with UK buyers, aligning with our broader strategy of economic diplomacy under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s leadership.” Through the newly established Horticulture Exports Accelerator Programme (HEAP) and in collaboration with TAHA, Ambassador Kairuki facilitated a business mission to London for eight local companies. The objective of this visit was to engage with leading UK importers and explore potential business opportunities. The delegation, prominently led by TAHA’s Chief Development Manager, Mr Anthony Chamanga, took part in a prestigious event organised by the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC). In his remarks, Mr Chamanga expressed gratitude to Trademark Africa (TMA) for supporting the UK trade mission through its programme for market enhancement of horticultural products (EMAHP). “This esteemed gathering enabled our companies to showcase their products and interact with potential buyers to strike business deals,” noted...

Les États membres de la Communauté d'Afrique de l'Est (CAE) ont été invités à adopter la technologie pour faciliter les paiements transfrontaliers au sein du marché commun régional. Selon l'organisme régional, l'innovation technologique dans ce domaine permettrait aux commerçants et aux investisseurs transfrontaliers de payer et de recevoir des paiements pour des biens et des services par le biais d'un système de paiement rentable, augmentant ainsi les systèmes, le commerce et l'investissement intrarégionaux. La CAE a lancé cet appel lors d'une table ronde de deux jours sur la coordination du soutien des donateurs de la CAE aux systèmes de paiement, qui s'est tenue au siège de la CAE à Arusha, en Tanzanie. La secrétaire générale de la CAE, Mme Veronica Nduva, a déclaré que les banques centrales des États partenaires devraient adopter les changements technologiques pour faciliter les paiements transfrontaliers dans la région. Elle a souligné les défis auxquels la région est confrontée. Il s'agit notamment de la faible utilisation du système de paiement de l'Afrique de l'Est (EAPS) en raison de sa capacité limitée, du manque d'interopérabilité, des lacunes dans la communication entre les banques centrales et les parties prenantes, de la crainte des escroqueries en ligne, du protectionnisme des banques centrales et du chevauchement des adhésions des États partenaires aux systèmes de paiement mis en place par les différentes communautés économiques régionales. Le système a été lancé en 2014, en tant que système de transfert de fonds sécurisé, efficace et efficient, afin de renforcer l'efficacité et la sécurité...