In Summary Freight charges from Mombasa to Kampala increased from $2,200 (Sh238,150) to $2,500 (Sh 270,625 ) per container. This is pegged mainly on the delays along the corridor and especially at the ports of loading and the exit borders. Transport cost along the Northern Corridor has jumped 48 per cent in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, mainly on measures to contain the virus by regional states. A report by the Shippers Council of Eastern Africa (SCEA) indicates road freight rates increased in the key trading route which runs from the Port of Mombasa, across the country, into Uganda, Rwanda, DR Congo, Burindi and South Sudan. Freight charges from Mombasa to Kampala increased from $2,200 (Sh238,150) in the pre-pandemic period to $2,500 (Sh 270,625 ) per container (both 20 and 40 foot), which extended into the first half of this year. The cost of moving containerised goods to Kigali from Mombasa also increased from $3,400 (Sh 368,050) to $3800 (Sh 411,350), pegged mainly on the delays along the corridor and especially at the ports of loading and the exit borders. Uganda is the biggest destination for transit cargo along the corridor, accounting for about 83.2 per cent of total transit volumes. That of transporting a container from Mombasa to South Sudan increased to $4,500 (Sh487,125 ) from $3,600 (Sh 389,700) while moving a container to DRC went up to $6,000( Sh649,500 ) between March and June this year, from $5,000 (Sh 541,250). In terms of border crossing times, it...

KeNHA has commenced works to rehabilite the busy Busia-Kisumu highway much to the relief of motorists. The rehabilitation will ease traffic congestion on the trunk road which connects the border town of Busia to the Great Lakes Region occasioned by transit trucks that pile up awaiting clearance at the Busia One Stop Border Post (OSBP). This comes after intense pressure from commuters, traders and the County Government of Busia through Governor Sospeter Ojaamong. The scope of work will involve expansion and re-carpeting of the 40km highway from Amukura House to Ugunja in Siaya County. Get breaking news on your Mobile as-it-happens. SMS ‘NEWS’ to 20153 KeNHA revealed that the stretch between the Korinda junction and Busia One Stop Border Post will be made a dual highway. Ojaamong said it is a good start, noting that his Government is going to engage the British High Commission who initiated the project, US Ambassador to Kenya, Trademark East Africa and other willing donors so that the entire road can be constructed into a dual highway. “The Busia-Kisumu highway especially near the OSBP is in a pathetic state with county residents resorting to social media to condemn the County Government yet it’s managed by the National Government,” he said. With expansion works already in progress many businessmen whose structures had encroached on reserve land including some leading hotels risk being pulled down although those affected have already received a notice to move prior to the exercise. Read original article

On Tuesday 18, a ceremony was held at the Ressano Garcia border to mark the UK Government’s provision of Covid-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as part of £200,000 of UK funding to enable safe trade on Mozambique’s borders with South Africa and Malawi. UK funding has been used to purchase PPE for customs and border officials at Calomue and Zobue borders (with Malawi) and Ressano Garcia border (with South Africa) to help maintain a safe working environment and minimise disruptions along key supply chains. The fund is part of the The Safe Trade Programme, which is implemented by TradeMark Africa (TMA), an organisation that works to enhance the trade environment and increase business competitiveness in East Africa. The UK has been providing support to TMA in East Africa since 2010 and has recently supported the organisation to expand its operations to Malawi and Mozambique. Other funding partners include Ireland, Canada and the Netherlands Speaking at the ceremony, Sarah Love, Deputy Development Director at the British High Commission in Maputo said: “The UK is funding TMA in Mozambique and Malawi through the Safe Trade programme which is partnering with the Revenue Authority to implement measures to ensure that safe trade can continue during this COVID-19 pandemic. UK funding of £200,000 has enabled the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment for customs and border officials and the development of a joint emergency response to COVID-19 at these locations. This support will ensure a safe working environment for border agency staff and in turn...

Malawi's Health Minister, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, has called for vigilance among key agencies in the fight against Covid-19 in the country's border posts to stop people that might be trying to use borders to sneak in from high risk countries. Kandodo said security agencies and health workers in border posts have to be alert on travellers who are coming from high risk countries such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan among other countries in order to safeguard the country from the virus. She made the remarks on Friday when she presided over the handover ceremony of Covid-19 quarantine and screening facilities to the government of Malawi by United Kingdom (UK) government in partnership with Trade Mark East Africa. "We need to be alert as a country. Health workers at the border posts have to make sure that travellers have Covid-19 negative certificates when entering the country." "As a ministry we have issued a ban to travellers from high risk countries like India and we know people from these countries can land in Zambia and travel by road to Malawi so all agencies at the border have to be vigilant," Kandodo said. The UK government in partnership with Trade Mark East Africa donated quarantine and screening facilities to four targeted border stations of Mchinji, Songwe, Dedza and Mwanza. The Minister expressed gratitude towards the donation saying the facilities will go a long way in containing the spread of the disease while at the same time facilitating smooth trade flows across the main...

CARGO traffic handled at the Dar es Salam port steadily increase thanks to the on-going modernisation project that is improving capacity and enhancing efficiency at the port. The Port Director, Elihuruma Lema, told the 'Daily News' on Tuesday that cargo volume handled at the port increased by 16.67 per cent to 16.01 million metric tonnes in 2019/2020 financial year from 13.7 million metric tonnes in 2015/2016. He attributed the rising throughput volume to expansion of berths from the on-going Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project that is boosting cargo handling capacity and operational improvements that have enhanced efficiency at the port. The port director said infrastructure developments in the central transport corridor which connects the Dar port by road, rail and inland waterways to Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, had also contributed to increase the port throughput. He said improved cargo security had also contributed to increased throughput as it helped the port to maintain existing customers and win more from the East African region. "The port handling capacity is steadily increasing. There were also large-scale operational improvements that enhanced efficiency and infrastructure development in the central transport corridor," he said. Dar es Salaam port, the country's largest and busiest port, is undergoing a massive expansion work under the Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project which is supported by the government and a coalition of development partners including the Trade Mark East Africa (TMA), the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), and...

THE implementation of the Hargeisa Bypass project, which was officially launched recently by President Muse Bihi in the presence of Kate Foster, the British Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia is more than 25 percent complete. The project, funded by the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), and implemented by the government of Somaliland through the Ministry of Transport and Roads Development with the support of Trademark East Africa (TMA), involves the upgrade of the 22.5 kilometres Hargeisa By-pass into a 2-lane single carriageway. The project team includes COCC-GCI JV, Kagga & Partners, and ITEC Engineering Ltd who are undertaking the project’s civil works, overseeing the project’s design & supervision, and carrying out the project’s technical audit respectively. TMA infrastructure technical team in partnership with the GoSL also appointed a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) to provide oversight on the project. Upon completion, the project is mainly expected to decongest Hargeisa city, the Somaliland capital, and partly reduce the time and cost of transporting goods between Berbera Port and the landlocked Republic of Ethiopia via the new road from the port city to Tog Wajaale border. The latter is in support of the Berbera Corridor project which stands to enhance the trade and transit capacity and provide Ethiopia’s expanding trade volumes with an alternative sea route, reducing over-reliance on the Djibouti route which is currently used for 95 percent of the East African country’s exports. During the construction phase of the Hargeisa By-pass, particular attention is being paid to climate-proofing...

The British Government has advised Malawi to focus on unleashing the power of the private sector to create growth and substitute low-value with high value crops in the Affordable Inputs Programme. British High Commissioner David Beer said this on Friday in Mchinji on the sidelines of a symbolic handover of Covid-19 isolation and screening facilities built at Songwe, Mwanza, Dedza and Mchinji border posts. The project, which is supported by the British Government, was implemented by the TradeMark Africa in collaboration with the ministries of Trade and Health to promote safe cross-border trade amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Beer said Malawi’s ratification of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA)—a single continent-wide market for goods and services and to promote the movement of capital and natural persons—was a huge step forward. But he said the cost of production, which makes prices of goods and services expensive, will render Malawi uncompetitive on the continental market that connects 1.3 billion people across 55 countries with a combined gross domestic product valued at $3.4 trillion. Said Beer: “Malawi needs to shift away from low-value crops such as maize and soya and it needs to wean itself off tobacco. “Malawi’s comparative advantage is not in producing these crops and the environmental damage brought by a maize monoculture is becoming clearer. The focus must, therefore, shift to high-value crops such as spices, nuts, berries and other high-value fruits.” He said such crops are in high demand in many lucrative markets globally, observing that a hectare...

PRESS RELEASE In her first visit to Somaliland since her appointment in February, Ms. Foster joined President Muse Bihi in launching the main construction phase of the 22.5 km Hargeisa bypass. The UK-supported bypass will reduce the time and cost of transporting goods between Berbera Port and landlocked Ethiopia by addressing a strategic chokepoint on the Berbera corridor. In the construction phase, particular attention will be paid to climate proofing, ensuring the road is built to last. Protection of local heritage is also a key consideration, recognising the road’s proximity to the iconic Nasa Hablood hills – the symbol of Hargeisa city. The corridor is already facilitating the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities in the wider region. The World Food Programme uses Berbera to bring 65% of its food aid into Ethiopia. With Ethiopia’s trade volumes projected to continue expanding, Berbera also represents an alternative for increasing trade and prosperity in the Horn of Africa. The continued development of the Berbera corridor will ensure that ordinary people from across Somaliland will benefit from inclusive economic development. Future UK support will focus on more efficient cross border trade between Somaliland and Ethiopia including through the use of one-stop border posts, cargo tracking systems and efficient regulation at the border. At the launch event, Somaliland President, Muse Bihi, said: I would like to thank the UK and partners for their role in investing in Somaliland’s infrastructure to boost the economy, which will help in service delivery as well as...

Ambassador Kate Foster, in her first visit to Somaliland, launches construction of the Hargeisa bypass The British Ambassador, Kate Foster, visited Hargeisa this week to reaffirm the strength of the UK's partnership with Somaliland including in the trade and development sector. In her first visit to Somaliland since her appointment in February, Ms. Foster joined President Muse Bihi in launching the main construction phase of the 22.5 km Hargeisa bypass. The UK-supported bypass will reduce the time and cost of transporting goods between Berbera Port and landlocked Ethiopia by addressing a strategic chokepoint on the Berbera corridor. In the construction phase, particular attention will be paid to climate proofing, ensuring the road is built to last. Protection of local heritage is also a key consideration, recognising the road's proximity to the iconic Nasa Hablood hills – the symbol of Hargeisa city. The corridor is already facilitating the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities in the wider region. The World Food Programme uses Berbera to bring 65% of its food aid into Ethiopia. With Ethiopia's trade volumes projected to continue expanding, Berbera also represents an alternative for increasing trade and prosperity in the Horn of Africa. The continued development of the Berbera corridor will ensure that ordinary people from across Somaliland will benefit from inclusive economic development. Future UK support will focus on more efficient cross border trade between Somaliland and Ethiopia including through the use of one-stop border posts, cargo tracking systems and efficient regulation at the border....

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has shared a key sector that makes the Port of Mombasa stand out in the region. According to KPA, one of the essential key performance indicators (KPIs) in port operations and logistics is the truck turnaround time. For starters, truck turnaround time is the total time spent by a truck in the terminal area from gate-in to gate-out for picking and/or dropping a container. KPA says "It includes the time from the arrival, loading, and unloading of containers, inspecting a truck, completing documentation, and exiting the terminal." If truck turnaround time is shortened, it means the port's efficiency to serve the purpose is standard. How KPA is changing things KPA is currently expanding Kipevu Road from Gate 18 to Changamwe Roundabout to improve truck turnaround time and cargo offtake. KPA notes that the project is implemented jointly with Trademark East Africa. The project entails the construction of two additional lanes measuring 3m wide, 2 entry lanes with an extra canopy at the gate,1.5m footpaths on both sides of the road and 2.5m lane for motorized and non-motorized cycles on either side. It is 96 per cent complete. Read original article