A truck pile-up has started to build along the Kenyan borders with Uganda following Kampala’s call for mandatory testing of all drivers at border crossing points, even as transporters threatened to suspend haulage of cargo through the Northern Corridor if the issues is not addressed. Uganda directed mandatory Covid-19 testing of all incoming travellers, including truck drivers, on December 20 last year. As a result, long queues have been reported all the way from Amagoro in Kenya, a few kilometres from the Malaba border post, since January 1. “I did Covid-19 test at Inland Container Depot in Nairobi and I have a valid certificate which is still valid for seven days. Why am I forced to get tested again?” asked Mohammed Mahmud, a truck driver. The new directive by Uganda authorities proposed the review of the Regional Electronic Cargo and Drivers Tracking System (RECDTS), which allows Covid-19 testing after 14 days, to a shorter duration of 7 days, due to the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant, which has a shorter incubation period. Due to ongoing trade barriers, Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) has threatened to suspend hauling of cargo until the Ugandan government reconsiders its new directive. “We are urging Ugandan authorities to consider the new directive and drop the $30 charge per test, which is an additional cost since in the other East African Community (EAC) states, Covid-19 tests are carried out free of charge. We also want clarification of how frequently the test will be carried out and their duration,”...

Summary The $29 million Gulu Logistics Hub aims to lower transport costs and trade barriers faced by Ugandan traders who export goods to the two countries. The new facility will provide container and break-bulk, handling and storage facilities — including bonded and non-bonded warehouses — as well as provide space for stakeholders dealing with freight transport. Ugandan transporters who ply the Gulu-Juba route are optimistic that the hub will increase their profits due to significant reduction in the distance and time their trucks spend on the road. More than a decade ago, Gulu was a no-go area, thanks to the Joseph Kony-led Lord’s Resistance Army rebels, who were fighting the government then. Fast forward to 2022 and the town has risen from the rubble, emerging as a key business point between Uganda and South Sudan. Its latest logistics hub, which will link Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a testament to its changing fortunes. The $29 million Gulu Logistics Hub aims to lower transport costs and trade barriers faced by Ugandan traders who export goods to the two countries. The new facility will provide container and break-bulk, handling and storage facilities — including bonded and non-bonded warehouses — as well as provide space for stakeholders dealing with freight transport. Ugandan transporters who ply the Gulu-Juba route are optimistic that the hub will increase their profits due to significant reduction in the distance and time their trucks spend on the road. “This logistics hub will be...

The beneficiaries so far include individual commitments for 1,120 families and commitments for 2,000 families by companies. Overall, more than 700 people and companies had participated in the challenge as of December 29. A solar home system under this plan consists of a minimum of three lights, one radio, one torch lamp, and a USB plug to charge mobile phones using solar [panel] energy. The #canachallenge is a campaign through which an organisation or individual can make a voluntary pledge and contribution to "Light up a Rwandan Family" that is far away from the national grid coverage area and cannot access electricity. BRD has been inviting people to join this challenge, indicating that with only Rwf15,000 contribution, one can help light up a family in need. For every such contribution, BRD tops up the remaining Rwf100,000 to fully finance the cost of a Solar Home System for one family - totalling Rwaf115,000. On the financing aspect, Uwera pointed out that BRD will provide in total a grant of Rwf1 billion through the Renewable Energy Fund Project - a government project funded by the World Bank and implemented by BRD towards lighting up an initial 10,000 families in Ubudehe category 1 across the country. Some prominent individuals who supported the challenge include Rolande Pryce, the World Bank Group Country Manager for Rwanda, Yvonne Manzi Makolo, Chief Executive Officer of RwandAir, Maxwell Gomera, UNDP Rwanda country representative, Patience Mutesi Gatera, Rwanda Country Director, TradeMark Africa, and Teddy Mugabo, Chief Executive Officer, Rwanda...

The United Kingdom's Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) has tipped Malawi to "up its capacity to generate foreign exchange" by increasing level of exports in both volumes and value in order for the country to achieve its development vision espoused in the Malawi 2063 agenda. FCDO Acting Chief Economist Nick Lea made the tip in Lilongwe on Thursday during a high-level panel discussion, which the National Planning Commission (NPC) organized in collaboration with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom government, Trade Mark East Africa (TIMEA) and the World Bank. The discussion was held under the theme: 'Priority Policy Options for meeting MW2063 and Milestones of the First 10-Year Implementation Plan (MIP-1)' and focused on opportunities for MIP 1. Panelists to the discussion included Colleen Zamba, who is the Chief Advisor on Sustainable Development Goals and International Relations, World Bank Country Manager Hugh Riddel, TIMEA Chief Executive Officer Frank Matsaert, Phoebe Kasoga of Plan International Malawi, Sofie Geerts from the Government of Flanders and chairperson of the cooperating partners in Malawi and the Principal Secretary (PS) for the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development Dr. Winford Masanjala. Delivering his keynote address, Lea said for Malawi to realise its vision, there is a need for the country to up its capacity to generate foreign exchange by increasing level of exports in both volumes and value. He also emphasized the need for the government to consult and engage the private sector in the implementation of the development agenda. "Private sector...

How are the trends like in terms of online shopping trends? Has anything changed due to a slump in the economy? Covid-19 has been a game changer. It has changed how and what people shop. Before Covid-19, people had more interest in brands. But now, they consider price and saving a little because they have less cash while others have lost jobs. The shift has been mostly visible among essential. Shoppers are sensitive to price, and we are witnessing an increase in demand locally manufactured products, because imports have become expensive due to disruptions in supply chains. Have standard operating procedures had a hand in these shifts? The online space is growing very fast. Customers who came for the first time during last year's lockdown have stayed. We are growing year-on-year and we are seeing double digit growth. The shift also includes vendors. Last year, we had less than 10,000 vendors, today, we have doubled that number to more than 20,000. That's a sign that people are using technology to survive and thrive, and are now able to maneuver the impediments brought by curfew and such others. What has changed for the last eight years you have been in business? We have observed incredible strides. Our teams have grown and we have overall coverage of Uganda where we deliver to every district in the country. When we started in 2013, we had about 10,000 products. Today, we have five million. We have thousands of buyers and sellers, and therefore the...

Industrialisation is crucial for Africa’s development and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could provide crucial impetus in the coming years. Major challenges and opportunities for Africa’s transformation model present themselves continuously. African countries have responded to Covid-19 by resorting increasingly to digital solutions but to a lesser extent with greener, fiscal measures. Prospects for African manufacturing at this year’s Africa Industrialisation Day appear brighter than last year when Africa was in the middle of the largest economic crisis for decades. While economic recovery is still slow, appropriate support linked to the implementation of the AfCFTA can boost manufacturing prospects significantly. Progress in Africa’s manufacturing performance In a paper published earlier this year, Carlos Lopes and I argued that discussions around premature deindustrialisation (a decline in the contribution of manufacturing to GDP ahead of its normal development path) were in fact premature in relation to many African countries. Taking recent World Bank World Development Indicators (WDI) data for the subset for sub-Saharan African countries, the share of manufacturing in GDP in 2020 was 12%, the same as it was in 2002, but up from as low as 9.2% in 2010. Despite the downturn in 2020, annual growth in real manufacturing value added was 3.3% over the decade to 2020 (up from 3% in the previous decade), significantly better than the 2.8% (and 1.9% respectively) annual growth for the world as a whole. Some countries have really transformed their industrial sector in recent years. Morocco surpassed South...

Effects of Covid-19 pandemic on Mombasa Port cargo in 2020 led to a marginal decline of 0.9 per cent while container traffic reduced by four per cent. However, acting Kenya Ports Authority Managing director John Mwangemi said notable resilience has been observed this year. During the January-September 2021 period, the Port handled some 26.17 million tonnes compared to 25.05 million tonnes in the corresponding period in 2020, noted Mwangemi. "This is an increase of 1.12 million tonnes translating to a growth of 4.4 per cent. In the same period, the port witnessed increased volumes in container traffic registering 1.1 million TEUs against one million TEUs recorded in a similar period in 2020, translating to an increase of 9.3 per cent," he added. He made the remarks during the annual KPA Corporate Golf Tournament played over the weekend at the Mombasa Golf Club, where he was represented by KPA General Manager Corporate Services, Edward Kamau. On ongoing key infrastructural projects being carried out by KPA, Mwangemi said the construction of the second container terminal (CT2) Phase II is on course. "Phase I has been operational since 2016. Phase II is ongoing and shall be ready by mid-2022. Once ready, the container capacity of the Port of Mombasa shall grow from 1.65 million TEUs to 2.2 million TEUs," he said. In regards to supporting the energy sector, the MD pointed out that KPA has progressed significantly in the construction of a bigger and modern oil terminal. He explained that the new Kipevu Oil Terminal will have facilities...

Du 18 au 19 novembre, autour du président de la République, des experts dans des domaines différents, des professeurs d’Universités, des banquiers, … ont inventorié des voies et moyens pour « faire du Burundi un pays émergent d’ici 2040 ».  Focus sur le secteur agricole.  Le rideau est tombé sur ce forum qui défrayait la chronique ces derniers temps. Ils sont partis avec le sentiment du devoir accompli et la conviction que le Burundi peut devenir un pays émergent d’ici 20 ans. « Les opportunités d’affaire ne manquent pas au Burundi surtout dans les secteurs stratégiques comme l’exploitation industrielle des mines, les infrastructures, l’agro-industrie, l’écotourisme, … », a déclaré le président Evariste Ndayishimiye, lors du lancement de ces assises. Le développement agropastoral serait très primordial dans ce combat. « Nous sommes un pays agricole où la pluie tombe neuf mois sur l’année et une population jeune prête à travailler. Ces atouts peuvent contribuer à l’augmentation de la production agricoles », a indiqué Christian Nibasumba, participant et représentant de TradeMark Africa au Burundi. Durant 48 heures, des exposés se sont relayés. Focalisons-nous sur celui du professeur Salvator Kaboneka, à savoir : « Comment accroître et améliorer la production agricole. ». Sans toutefois revenir sur les faiblesses du secteur, insistons sur les recommandations de cet expert pour booster le domaine agro-pastoral. D’abord, la gestion du sol. Ici, il propose le remembrement, la mise en commun et la gestion communautaire des terres. Il prône la libération des terres agricoles et la promotion de la villagisation. Au moment où, la ville de Bujumbura continue de s’étendre, le...

More than 15 private tourism business owners, private and public institutions were on Friday 26, awarded and recognized for showing resilience in the tourism sector despite challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. Organized by the Rwanda Chamber of Tourism and partners, the 2021 Rwanda Tourism Awards, follows a week-long exhibition that brought together more than 50 tourism businesses and over 100 private exhibitors from the African continent. Speaking at the event Aimable Rutagarama, Chairperson of Rwanda Tourism Chamber lauded the efforts all the businesses have put in during the pandemic, adding that the awards are a recognition of the resilience they have shown. “Our sector was undeniably hit hardest by the pandemic, but many businesses did all they can to survive some even retained as many workers as possible, because tourism is not just about business but a corporate social responsibility as well,” “Although we do not have tangible results to start showing yet, by working together with all our partners we will revive the sector,” he said. Judith Uwimana, Chief Executive Officer of Judith Tours won Best Women Exhibitor, for empowering women in the tourism sector through her company. “When I started my company my aim was to fill the gap of women in the tourism sector, and now my company employs women only, and now being recognized and awarded for that, it is a boost of confidence and motivation to me and other women in the sector as well” Uwimana said. Among the awards won was the Best Southern African...

In Summary It will KRA an opportunity to facilitate legitimate trade and collect the correct revenue, it says. This comes with the construction of a major road (Isiolo-Mandera) connecting the horn of Africa countries of Kenya, Somalia and to Ethiopia. Kenya Revenue Authority plans to establish posts at Rhamu and Mandera on the Ethiopia and Somali borders respectively. It will also put up a trade facilitation centre at Suftu,(Kenya-Ethiopia) and  construct two bridges to facilitate movement of goods and persons across the borders. The establishment of the One Stop Border Posts, supported by TradeMark Africa, is expected not only to spur growth in import and export trade but also provide an opportunity for legitimate trade and revenue collection. Commissioner for Customs and Border Control Lilian Nyawanda said KRA seeks to facilitate faster movement of goods and persons at the Kenya-Ethiopia border, and facilitate cross-border trade between Kenya and Somalia (upon opening of the borders). “Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia have long and porous common borders, with many potential locations for developing border posts to facilitate cross-border trade,” Nyawanda said in a statement on Tuesday. This comes with the construction of a major road connecting the Horn of Africa countries. The Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project (HoAGDP) road connects Kenya to Somalia and Ethiopia. The Isiolo-Mandera regional road corridor – the primary project area - traverses the North Eastern counties of Isiolo, Meru, Wajir, Mandera and Garissa. Last year, World Bank approved an Sh81 billion loan to upgrade half of the 750-kilometer Isiolo-Mandera...