August 25, 2019 (JUBA) - South Sudan National Revenue Authority (NRA) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have inked an agreement to promote trade and help the young nation, whose economy largely depends on oil revenues, diversify into other sectors by establishing modern systems for the faster clearance of goods. The deal, officials said in statement, will link South Sudan to the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking system (RECTs), which is currently implemented on the Northern Corridor in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through the respective revenue and customs administrations. RECTs is a web-based integrated system used to monitor transit cargo from departure to the final destination. The new trade agreement is in important in that it will assist Juba in reducing the cost of security bonds, theft and diversions, and enhance security on the transit route from the port of Mombasa. TMA, however, said it hopes South Sudan’s Government of National Unity, expected to be inaugurated on November 12, will materialise. “We are committed to doing our part, but it has to be stressed that we need a government of national unity to stick to the peace deal and start doing good work for the citizens in November,” said TMA CEO Frank Matsaert at the signing of the deal on Friday last week. South Sudan, where oil revenues make up nearly 98 percent of the budget, has been reeling an under economic crisis due to civil war. Source: Sudan Tribune

Ahead of the third Global Logistics Convention, in East Africa, which takes place on August 29-30 at the Kigali Convention Centre, Abhishek Sharma, TMA’s Senior Director for Transport spoke to Business Times’ James Karuhangaabout the state of the logistics sector in the region. According to the logistics expert, in the past 10 years, the status of logistics in the region has improved significantly but challenges persist and that is why such a conference comes in handy. Most importantly, he noted, it is very important that countries work very hard to reduce the cost of logistics because poor people bear the brunt more when things go wrong in the logistics sector. The excerpts; What is the situation of the logistics sector in the region at the moment? In the last, 10 years, the status of logistics in the region has improved significantly; the time and the cost has come down dramatically along both the northern corridor and the central corridor. For example on the central corridor, for Rwanda, while the average speed of truck on transit was 7 kilometers an hour it has now improved to as much as 14 kilometers an hour and so, that is doubling is speed along the corridor. This has resulted in a reduction in prices of logistic movements along the corridor. Which studies back this up? The Logistics Performance Index of the World Bank also shows a significant improvement in all the countries of the EAC on logistics. What it shows is that normally, the logistics performance of...

The South Sudan National Revenue Authority (NRA) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have entered a trade facilitation agreement to help Juba to promote trade and diversify from oil revenues by establishing modern systems for faster clearance of goods. The deal will link South Sudan to the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking system (RECTs), which is currently implemented on the Northern Corridor in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC through the respective revenue and Customs administrations. RECTs is a web-based integrated system used to monitor transit cargo from departure to the final destination. NRA Commissioner General Olympio Attipoe said the move is important as Juba aims to reduce the cost of security bonds, theft and diversions, and enhance security on the transit route from the port of Mombasa. TMA says it hopes the unity government expected to be inaugurated in November will materialise. “We are committed to doing our part, but it has to be stressed that we need a government of national unity to stick to the peace deal and start doing good work for the citizens in November,” said TMA CEO Frank Matsaert at the signing of the deal with the NRA last Friday. Source: The EastAfrican

August 23—The regional logistics industry has been asked to work closer together in ways that will strengthen and increase efficiencies as leading French firm, Bolloré Transport & Logistics hints of building a new cargo handling complex in East Africa. “I am challenging the experts in the logistics industry to come up with feasible solutions that will improve the sector’s performance index ranking in the region,” Monica Azuba Ntege, Uganda transport minister told the Regional Logistics Expo forum on Thursday. The logistics industry includes customs clearance, freight forwarding, warehousing, transportation, port services and air cargo. Earlier this month, Philippe Labonne, deputy managing director of Bolloré Transport & Logistics said their strategy is to develop hubs in Africa.  “We have identified  eight of them, such as in Abidjan, where we are building an ‘aerohub’ so that goods can arrive by sea and be redistributed by air. It’s sort of confidential, but I can tell you that we’re looking closely at Nairobi, Kigali, South Africa,” he told the French publication Jeune Afrique. Azuba said Uganda has recorded mixed results in rankings for the movement of goods and services between 2007 and 2016.  The country’s logistics performance index ranking jumped from 83rd position to 58th, however between 2016 and 2018, its rank dropped from 58th position to 102. Kenya is the regional hub with the biggest fleets and container facilities based in that country, arranged along the Northern Corridor route from Mombasa. According to a recent report by financial services firm, pwc, intra-trade in Africa...

Trade mark East Africa has signed a 470 million shillings partnership with two trade and business bodies in the region. 

By Drake Nyamugabwa East Africa Business Council (EABC) has received US$ 3.2 Million from Trademark East Africa aimed at reducing trade barriers in the East African Community through supporting the implementation of a 3 year programme dubbed “Integrating Public-Private Sector Dialogue (PPD) for Trade and Investment in East Africa Community (EAC) Programme”. The East African Business Council (EABC) officially signed a US$ 3.2 Million financing agreement with TradeMark Africa (TMA) on 20th august in Nairobi. The partnership will support EABC’s advocacy efforts of improving coordination, reporting and resolution of Non- Tariff Barriers along the corridors; harmonization and adoption of East African Standards/ Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures; improve adoption and harmonization of Customs and  Domestic Tax-related policies and trade facilitation in the EAC. Hon. Peter Mathuki, EABC CEO says that in order to strengthen and sustain EAC’s trade and investment, it is critical that an enabling environment is in place to guarantee growth and predictability adding that Public‐Private Dialogue plays a crucial role in addressing constraints, providing short‐term stimulus with long‐term impact and contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction. “We appreciate this partnership with TradeMark Africa as it will support EABC to evaluate and monitor EAC policies to ensure they work for businesses at ground level and create momentum to accelerate needed the policy reforms to the business and investment climate in the EAC. Inadequate trading regimes restrictions on the export of certain commodities, and lack of product diversification and the existence of Non-Tariff Barriers continue to hamper intra-regional trade which is still low...

The East African Business Council (EABC) has signed a $3 million(Sh308.8 million) financing agreement with TradeMark Africa (TMA) to help address trade barriers in East Africa. A similar trade deal worth $1.5 million (Sh154.4 million ) has also been signed between the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and TMA. This will support implementation of a three year programme, “Integrating Public-Private Sector Dialogue (PPD) for Trade and Investment in East Africa Community (EAC) programme”. The partnership will support EABC's advocacy efforts of improving coordination, reporting and resolution of Non Tariff Barriers along the corridors, harmonization and adoption of East African Standards, Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, improve adoption and harmonization of Customs and Domestic Tax-related policies and trade facilitation in the EAC. Public‐Private Dialogue plays a crucial role in addressing constraints, providing short‐term stimulus with long‐term impact and contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction. The project will enhance advocacy and dialogue on transport and logistics, trade facilitation, customs and tax, standards, and NTBs in a bid to increase trade and investments in the EAC. Also, the programme extends beyond the EAC and incorporates the COMESA, COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) and Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). “Inadequate trading regimes restrictions on the export of certain commodities, and lack of product diversification and the existence of NTBs continue to hamper intra-regional trade which is still low at 20 per cent compared to other RECs,” EABC CEO Peter Mathuki said. The EABC is a key convenor of high‐level regional Public‐Private...

The East African Business Council (EABC) has secured US$ 3.2 million financing from TradeMark Africa Africa (TMA) to support trade initiatives mainly addressing barriers in the region. This will support  implementation of a three year programme,“Integrating Public-Private Sector Dialogue (PPD) for Trade and Investment in East Africa Community (EAC) Programme”. The partnership will support  EABC’s advocacy efforts of improving coordination, reporting and resolution of  Non- Tariff Barriers along the corridors; harmonization and adoption of East African Standards, Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, improve adoption and harmonization of customs and  domestic tax-related policies and trade facilitation in the EAC. To strengthen and sustain EAC’s trade and investment, it is critical that an enabling environment is in place to guarantee growth and predictability. Public‐Private Dialogue plays a crucial role in addressing constraints, providing short‐term stimulus with long‐term impact and contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction. The project will enhance advocacy and dialogue on transport and logistics, trade facilitation, customs & tax, standards, and NTBs in a bid to increase trade and investments in the EAC. Also, the programme extends beyond the EAC and incorporates the COMESA, COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) and Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) “Inadequate trading regimes restrictions on the export of certain commodities, and lack of product diversification and the existence of NTBs continue to hamper intra-regional trade which is still low at 20 per cent compared to other RECs SADC 40 per cent,”said Hon. Peter Mathuki, EABC CEO. The EABC is a key convenor of high‐level...

The East African Business Council (EABC) on Tuesday signed a US$ 3.2 million financing agreement with TradeMark Africa (TMA) for support in implementing a three-year programme focused on the simplification and harmonization of trade procedures in the region. The partnership will support EABC’s advocacy efforts of improving coordination, reporting and resolution of non- tariff barriers along the corridors; harmonization and adoption of East African standards or sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures; improve adoption and harmonization of Customs and Domestic Tax-related policies and trade facilitation in the region. “We will coordinate, set the agenda and facilitate evidence-based research on public-private dialogues to reducing barriers to trade in the EAC region,” said Peter Mathuki, the EABC Chief Executive Officer. “We appreciate this partnership with TradeMark Africa as it will support EABC to evaluate and monitor EAC policies to ensure they work for businesses at ground level and create momentum to accelerate the needed policy reforms for the business and investment climate in the EAC.” As noted, public-private dialogue plays a crucial role in addressing constraints, providing short-term stimulus with long-term impact and contributing to economic growth and poverty reduction. The project will enhance advocacy and dialogue on transport and logistics, trade facilitation, customs and tax, standards, and NTBs in a bid to increase trade and investments in the region. The programme also extends beyond the EAC and incorporates the COMESA, COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). “Inadequate trading regimes restrictions on the export of...

The East African Business Council (EABC) on Tuesday officially signed a US$ 3 Million financing agreement with Trade Mark East Africa (TMA), a non-profit organization that supports the growth of trade in the region.The funds will support implementation of a 3 year programme, “Integrating Public-Private Sector Dialogue (PPD) for Trade and Investment in East Africa Community (EAC) Programme”. The partnership will support EABC’s advocacy efforts of improving coordination, reporting and resolution of Non-Tariff Barriers along the corridors, harmonization and adoption of East African Standards/ Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, improve adoption and harmonization of customs and domestic tax-related policies and trade facilitation in the East Africa Community (EAC). To strengthen and sustain EAC’s trade and investment, it is critical that an enabling environment is in place to guarantee growth and predictability, noted Trade Mark East Africa. Public‐Private Dialogue plays a crucial role in addressing constraints, providing short‐term stimulus with long‐term impact and contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction. The project will enhance advocacy and dialogue on transport and logistics, trade facilitation, customs and tax, standards, and NTBs in a bid to increase trade and investments in the EAC. Also, the programme extends beyond the EAC and incorporates the COMESA, COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) and Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) “Inadequate trading regimes restrictions on the export of certain commodities, and lack of product diversification and the existence of NTBs continue to hamper intra-regional trade which is still low at 20% compared to other RECs,” said Peter...