Rwanda launched the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) in Kigali at the Grand Legacy Hotel, today. This is in line with the provisions of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Rwanda submitted a notification to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2015 outlining the provisions of the TFA they intend to implement once the agreement comes into force. The NTFC will oversee implementation of the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation and will advise and support government in undertaking interventions that enhance business competitiveness and ease of doing business in Rwanda. This will consequently reduce challenges faced by exporters and importers in the country. The committee will ensure that institutions and all stakeholders responsible for controls and procedures related to importation, exportation and transit of goods work together and coordinate trade related activities. It brings together the Private sector, civil society and Public sector representatives as well as trade related service suppliers to discuss issues of trade and trade related policies/measures and agree on better approaches to reform, improve and learn from experiences. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry will chair the committee and will be deputised by the Rwanda Revenue Authority as a key implementing agency. For effective coordination, the committee will have a secretariat to support the committee on daily basis. The NTFC will play a leading role in developing Rwanda’s road map for the implementation of the trade facilitation agenda along the provisions of Trade Facilitation Agreement and will be instrumental in synergizing the various...

The Ministry of trade and infrastructures in partnership with its stakeholders including World Trade Organization, among others, has launched a National Trade Facilitation Committee that is meant to boost cross border trade between Rwanda and its neighboring countries particularly and the with far situated nations at large. Participants in today’s meeting held in Kigali Minister Kanimba Francis told participants in the today’s meeting convened for the launch of this new program that Rwanda will significantly benefit from this endeavor as a landlocked countries that trades with its neighbors via mainly terrestrial roads. The Bali Package on trade signed in 2013 stressed that every signatory country should establish a National Trade Facilitation Committee aimed at assessing how trade is being conducted and resolve emerging barriers. The Word Trade Organization representative Céline Bacrot commended the efforts that Rwandan government has provided in facilitating its trade such as innovating roads infrastructures and in easing business registration process. She told media that the WTO will keep backing Rwanda in its path towards sustainable development. Different organs will be active in implementing the policies embedded  in this agreement. These include the security, trade and related ones are bound to the implement this new engagement and make sure it it is fully successful.   Perminent Secretary in Ministry if Trade Emmanuel Hategeka addressing the gathering Minister Kanimba affirms that Rwanda will significantly benefit from this NTFC Source: Umeseke

Minister Kanimba (R) and Trade and Industry ministry permanent secretary Emmanuel Hategeka share a light moment during the launch of the National Trade Committee in Kigali yesterday. / Sam Ngendahimana. A new committee meant to advise and support government in undertaking interventions that enhance business competitiveness and further ease of doing business in the country has been inaugurated. The National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC), to be headed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, was announced at a meeting in Kigali yesterday. The committee was constituted in line with laws establishing the World Trade Organisation (WTO) meant to enable low developed countries reduce costs of global trade. It will oversee implementation of initiatives on trade facilitation, in part to reduce challenges faced by exporters and importers in the country. According to its terms, the committee will ensure that institutions and all stakeholders responsible for controls and procedures related to importation, exportation and transit of goods work together to better coordinate trade related activities. The committee brings together the private sector, civil society and public sector representatives as well as trade-related service suppliers to discuss issues of trade and trade related policies and agree on better approaches to reform and improve. The committee will be deputised by the Rwanda Revenue Authority as a key implementing agency. The NTFC is hoped to play a leading role in developing Rwanda’s roadmap for the implementation of the trade facilitation agenda and will be instrumental in synergising the various trade facilitation perspectives across the country,...

International Development Minister James Wharton returns from his first visit to Rwanda, where he saw the life-changing impact of UK aid. During his first visit to Rwanda, the minister saw how the UK is helping some of the poorest and most vulnerable people there to develop more sustainable livelihoods and lift themselves out of poverty. DFID’s social protection programme has already helped boost opportunities for 390,000 people. He also visited the Rwanda Revenue Authority and its Electronic Cargo Tracking System that the UK supports through the Trade Mark East Africa programme, which is developing innovative digital technologies to reduce the cost of trade and increase domestic tax revenues. This builds on DFID’s leading role in establishing and providing British expertise to the Rwanda Revenue Authority, helping increase tax income from £60 million in its first year to £1.09 billion this year. The UK’s support is boosting economic growth and development, and building robust institutions to help Rwanda stand on its own two feet. James Wharton said: Rwanda has made remarkable progress over the last 20 years. I am proud that the UK has been able to support Rwanda on this journey – contributing to its achievement of lifting over 1.5 million people out of poverty. It is great to see the strong partnership that we’ve built. As an outward-looking, globally-engaged nation, the UK is committed to maintaining the broad range of support that it provides to Rwanda: helping to tackle poverty, boost economic development, drive investment and create jobs –...

The International Road Transport Organisation (IRU) (https://www.IRU.org) report, “Transit costs in East and Southern Africa” clearly demonstrates how African countries implementing the TIR Convention can reduce the costs of trade in southern and eastern Africa thus saving billions of dollars and increasing GDP in African countries. Since 1949, TIR has made international freight transits faster, more efficient and more secure, helping increase trade, boosting economic growth and making communities stronger. With TIR, goods are contained in sealed load compartments, and the contents are detailed in a TIR Carnet. This essential document accompanies the driver and the cargo along its journey. Customs simply have to verify the Carnet and that the seals are intact, rather than spend time to open the container and physically check the load. Umberto de Pretto, IRU Secretary General said “Some of the world’s highest trade costs can be found in Africa and the world’s road transport organisation, IRU, is working to support governments and the private sector to reduce these costs.” He continued “The report results show that TIR is up to 16 times less expensive than the national bond system on the Northern Corridor between Walvis Bay and Lubumbashi, and is also substantially more cost efficient on the three other African trade corridors in the study.” The report unequivocally concludes that the TIR system is the most cost effective transit bond method and could be deployed on all trade corridors in Africa. TIR, the world’s only universal customs transit system and one of the most successful...

By Nasra Bishumba Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has announced that it will within one month launch a new $5m (approx. Rwf4 billion) project that will see goods tracked from the port till they are in Rwanda. Other goods to be monitored are those that transit through Rwanda from the moment they enter through the country’s borders till they exit. The project, which is funded by TradeMark Africa, will roll out three components which include the electronic cargo tracking system, installation of CCTV cameras at all border posts and a number plate recognisation system. Explaining the first component, which is the electronic cargo tracking system, the head of the project; Robert Mugabe, said that though the tracking will mostly be monitored from Kigali, there were already trained staff within the northern and southern corridor who will work help in making the work even more efficient. “We will be putting an electronic magnetic seal on a container or truck and automatically, it will link the taxation system to the tracking one. Anyone who tries to break the seal prompts an automatic message and our cargo monitors will get an alert. If it happens our staff will immediately intervene,” he said. To make this possible, Mugabe says that all routes have been geo-fenced using Global Positioning Systems (GPS). “If the truck tries to violate the route, an alert is also sent out. The same also happens when you pack somewhere for so long because each stop point has a designated time it’s estimated...

The European Union flag. PHOTO | AFP  The European Union says it may have alternative ways of dealing with the East African Community member states should they fail to meet the deadline of signing a joint trade agreement in January next year. EU Head of Delegation Stefano Dejak told reporters on Wednesday that the three-month extension from October this year should give all the East African Community member states who have not signed to endorse the pact. But should they fail, he said the European bloc will negotiate appropriate arrangements with the region. “This was the case to October the 1st and thanks to our relations, we have found a way to address this and extend the period,” he said at his residence when asked if individual countries will have to negotiate separately if the agreement is not endorsed by the entire region. “If that would turn out to be the case (in January), we would certainly look out how best to partner with the government of Kenya and other member states of the East African Community to do the best for both, I think, especially for Kenya but it is the same in other countries.” The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) is a set of agreements that allow African countries specific privileges to export to the European Union markets without being subjected to customs. The agreement covers trade in goods and development cooperation and covers on agriculture, fisheries and economic and development cooperation. RATFIED PACT On Wednesday, Kenya through its...

Corporate Council on Africa delegation president and CEO Stephen Hayes (Left) with CFC Stanbic East Africa regional boss Mike Blade. Photo/DIANA NGILA  IN SUMMARY The dinner event hosted in Mohamed’s honour resolved to immediately put modalities for holding of joint conferences, workshops and exhibitions to further the aim of greater US-Kenya trade and investment. A lobby representing United States businesses eying investment in Africa has today partnered with the Kenya government to in effort boost direct investments in Kenya. The partnership between Corporate Council for Africa and Kenya’s industrialisation ministry will help create cross-linkages between Kenyan and US traders enabling them to enjoy direct access to markets in both countries for mutual benefit. The two-year partnership deal signed by Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed and CCA President Stephen Hayes here in Washington, DC also stated that both parties will share information on existing opportunities for investment. “This MOU is a great opportunity for us to work more closely to promote trade and investment in Kenya. The Corporate Council has always been a champion for U.S. -Kenya business and we look forward to doing even more with them,” said the CS. A representative office The dinner event hosted in Mohamed’s honour resolved to immediately put modalities for holding of joint conferences, workshops and exhibitions to further the aim of greater US-Kenya trade and investment. CCA has conducted trade excursions to Kenya on several occasions that culminated to opening of a representative office in Nairobi. Mr Hayes said that...

The six African countries threatened with losing access to the European single market have finally agreed to sign the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). But the continent’s regional integration may suffer as a result. EurActiv France reports. Kenya’s parliament last Wednesday (21 September) ratified the European Union EPA, signalling the end of a drawn-out struggle between several African countries and the European Commission, over the future of their trade relations with the EU. In July, Brussels had upped the pressure on six African governments, threatening to suspend their single market access if they had not ratified the new agreements by 1 October. Customs duties Faced with a tax on their EU exports if they failed to cooperate, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and Kenya all finally agreed to ratify their Economic Partnership Agreements, bringing the lengthy negotiation process to an end. These EPAs replace the non-reciprocal trade agreements granted by the EU under the Cotonou agreement, signed in June 2000. The aim is to maintain the preferential access to the European market enjoyed by the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, in return for reduced customs duties for European exports. But the balance of the new agreements has attracted criticism from certain African countries, as well as civil society organisations, which say the dice are weighted in favour of the EU. The loss of customs revenue, coupled with competition from European products arriving on less development markets, is a major cause for concern. Integration in East Africa Following the...

The travel and tourism industry is recognizing World Tourism Day. Founded in 1980 by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), each year World Tourism Day brings together the global tourism community to highlight a significant theme with implications for destinations large, small, cosmopolitan, and rural, on every continent. This year's theme, “tourism for all, promoting universal accessibility,” touches on one of the most salient tenets of travel – mobility and inclusivity. According to the UNWTO, “accessible tourism for all is about creating products and services that can equally be enjoyed by persons with disabilities, tourists and locals, families with small children, seniors and everyone else.” According to 2015 UNWTO figures, Africa welcomed 62.6 international tourists, a decline of 2.7 million from the year prior, yet there is no greater region with the potential to boost accessibility for local, regional, and international visitors than in Africa. And in 2016, we have seen tremendous strides in making Africa a more accessible destination. “Africa has some of the most exciting and unique tourism experiences. The focus on tourism inclusivity and accessibility for all, presents African entrepreneurs with tremendous economic opportunities to develop tourism products, services, supply chains, and technology platforms to accelerate Africa's tourism sector growth and sustainability,” said Charles Leyeka Lufumpa, Director of the Statistics Department, African Development Bank. This year's Tourism Day celebrations coincide with the launching in July 2016, of the African Union's electronic passport (e-Passport). “This flagship project, first agreed upon in 2014, falls squarely within the framework...