Zanzibar, 28th September 2021: The Ministry of Trade and Industrial Development, in partnership with TradeMark Africa (TMA), delivered Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be distributed to frontline workers in Zanzibar. This is part of TradeMark Africa’s wider support for mitigation measures against the spread of COVID-19 and continuous trade in Eastern and Southern Africa borders under its Safe Trade Emergency Facility Programme. Today’s symbolic handover will cover the needs of customs, immigration, security, and port health officials in Zanzibar for a period of 6 months. On his part, Principal Secretary Dr. Islam Seif Salum thanked TradeMark Africa for their support to the government’s efforts to fight COVID-19, further saying; “. The PPEs being handed over to the border officials will strengthen our government’s measures of making our borders safe and open for trade. Given the vulnerability and exposure of the frontline workers to the virus, protection of all border personnel is paramount in ensuring they work in safe and optimal working conditions so that trade continues uninterrupted.” The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Ireland and Norway are funding Tanzania’s component of the TMA Safe Trade Emergency Facility (STEF) programme with a contribution of TZS 208,350,000(USD 90,000). Distribution of PPE is a key component of TMA’s Safe Trade Emergency Facility (STEF) programme, that was launched to respond to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic which has hit Eastern and Southern Africa’s border crossing points, causing some of the worst disruptions in history. The usually busy land borders...

The equipment raises National Export Development Board’s capacity to sort high grade coffee to 64-80 Metric Tonnes (Four 40-foot containers) which is 48 times previous capacity. Currently there are 400,000 small holder coffee farmers exporting 21,000 metric tonnes of coffee in 2020, earning the country US$ 50.2 million Kigali 21st Sept: The capacity to sort and grade high quality coffee for lucrative export markets through the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) has been raised many times-fold following acquisition of modern Coffee Sorting and Grading Machines and accessories. The equipment includes machines worth US$ 1.159 million funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through regional trade agency TradeMark Africa. The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands provided coffee sorting tables worth US$217,000 also through TradeMark Africa. The project was implemented in partnership with the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) with the new equipment located at its warehouses in Kigali. Speaking during the equipment launch today, NAEB Chief Executive Officer Claude Bizimana said the equipment raises current capacity by to 48 times. “With the modern equipment we will be able to sort and grade 64-80 Metric Tonnes per day which will fill up to four 40-foot containers, which is 48 times our current capacity. The huge capacity will greatly benefit the 32 coffee producer co-operatives that we serve. Previously it took a team of 35 workers, 12 days to sort and grade one container of coffee” noted Bizimana. This he explained would reduce the time-lag between client...

Lomé, 17th September 2021: Today, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and TradeMark Africa (TMA), aimed at promoting cooperation and collaboration between the two organisations in their common goal of supporting trade in Africa. The MoU was signed in Lomé, Togo, by His Excellency Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, and Frank Matsaert, Chief Executive Officer at TMA. The AfCFTA and TMA are united in their shared goal of increasing prosperity in Africa through the liberalisation of trade on the continent. This MoU represents the next logical step for the two organisations as they work to increase the ease and standards of trade across Africa; support engagement with the continent’s private sector on trade and economic development issues; digitisation of key trade processes at a national level, followed by linking these at a regional level and policies to promote the use of e-commerce across the continent; and develop regional value chains and investment while developing Africa’s cross-border trade with a particular focus on women traders, youth and MSMEs. The Agreement will also allow the two organisations to share costs and support each other in logistical challenges as they seek to implement programmes to develop trade across Africa. His Excellency Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, said: “The MoU will further allow the AfCFTA Secretariat working with partners including TMA to facilitate State Parties to carry out the necessary reforms needed to fully implement the AfCFTA, unlocking the continent’s trade potential...

East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP) Headquarters, Kigali, Rwanda. September 8, 2021. The East Africa Tourism Platform has launched a three-month campaign dubbed "Tembea Nyumbani", in the East African Community (EAC) Partner States.Tembea Nyumbani, Swahili for Visit Home, is a call to the citizens of the countries in the East African Community to visit each other's countries — in an effort to promote domestic and regional tourism business in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. In the spirit of East African unity, the tourism body is drawing wisdom from the popular adage that as an East African, any East African country you travel to is a home away from home. Undertaken in partnership with stakeholders, the campaign will promote different tourist packages within the region. The campaign aims to spur tourism business within the region by showcasing the many hidden gems as well as affordable and exciting holiday packages that can be explored in what the world has come to know as Africa's magical destinations. It is expected that an increase in interest to travel within the region will revive the tourism industry, which is a lifeline for millions of people. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the tourism sector had become one of the most lucrative, but the pandemic brought it to its knees. As uptake of vaccines increases and recovery efforts start, many nations are cooperating to revive tourism. Before Covid-19, tourism contributed to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of EAC Partner States by an average of 9.5% in 2019. It...

Hargeisa, 4th August 2021:  Somaliland Quality Control Commission (SQCC) launched 16 quality Standards of the most traded goods with the aim of supporting local industries tap into regional markets. The 16 standards are among the first for the country and cover the following sectors: Oils Seeds, Edible Fats and Oils, Cereals, and pulses; Livestock and livestock products; and beverages. TradeMark Africa (TMA) provided support to SQCC for the development and harmonisation, adoption, and dissemination of conformity assessment product standards for the priority sectors with the potential to be traded within the Eastern Africa region. The project was funded by UKAID’s Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and technical assistance provided by British Standards Institution (BSI). In the absence of harmonised standards, enterprises face challenges while exporting and accessing markets due to the technical product requirements of the local or destination market. Such requirements include the need for goods to comply with quality, health and safety and sustainability standards as well as the associated conformity assessment procedures. Failure to adhere to these technical requirements result to higher transaction costs, longer time to access export markets and loss of economic opportunities. Somaliland’s adoption of the 16 standards, will help overcome some of these challenges. It  is also timely as the newly enforced Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides a platform for liberalisation of movement of goods and services within the AfCFTA framework; offering opportunities for enterprises that comply with technical regulations, voluntary standards,  and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures. Intentional commitment by...

Dutch Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) H.E. Jolke Oppewal toured the port of Kalundu on Friday July 30th, 2021.The visit was to assess progress of a Port rehabilitation project funded by the government of Netherlands through TradeMark Africa. The envoy expressed optimism for peace and stability in Kalundu and environs, noting that this was key for social economic development of the region, observing that instability was slowing down key projects. The ambassador also called on all actors to work together to foster peace in the region. The Manager in Charge of the Port, Shabani Kyalumba thanked the Dutch Government and TradeMark Africa for their commitment towards rehabilitation of the second port in DRC. He explained that Phase 1 of the current project involved dredging the port which had last been dredged in 1998. Phase 2 which is expected to now commence will entail construction of an administrative block to house all government agencies working at the port, install modern surveillance and lighting services and as well as fence the Port. Speaking during the visit, the Mayor of Uvira Kiza Muhato hailed the project as one that would improve the trading capabilities of the region. The mayor also called on the Dutch government to support improve port accessibility, especially upgrading of the road linking the Port of Kalundu and Bukavu town and consider provision of handling equipment at the port to enhance quick evacuation of cargo. [download id="60512"]  

London, 26th July:  TradeMark Africa (TMA), and the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&IT) have today at the Kenyan High Commission in London, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which provides a framework for collaborating to implement a digital trade corridor between the UK and Kenya. The initiative, the ‘UK-Kenya Trade Logistics Information Pipeline’ (TLIP), aims to eliminate paperwork and introduce much better visibility up and down supply chains that flow between Kenya and the UK. It will cut costs for Kenyan firms producing goods like green vegetables and cut flowers for export to the UK, reducing prices for UK consumers, importers and retailers. UK exporter will also be able to benefit from better access to one of Africa’s fastest growing markets. TLIP is the first digital trade corridor to be established between the UK and a developing country since the UK’s exit from the European Union. Indeed, TLIP is strongly aligned with the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed this year between the UK and Kenya. IOE&IT Director General Marco Forgione said: “We’re proud to be partnering in the TLIP project. We believe it can deliver substantial benefits, not only to traders in the relevant supply chains, but also to the UK in terms securing its position as a global leader in digital trade. Provisions to improve digital delivery are an increasingly important part of trade agreements – and it is initiatives like this that will make them succeed.” CEO of TMA Frank Matsaert said: “TMA is excited to be...

25 July 2021 Busia Kenya: TradeMark Africa (TMA) and the County Government of Busia have this morning launched construction of a Ksh. 37.5 million Safe Trade Zone at Soko Posta Grounds which were provided by the County Government of Busia. The project is part of TMA’s wider response to the Covid-19 pandemic that has adversely affected cross border traders in the country. Many traders have had their businesses interrupted, due to mandatory restrictions placed by the Government of Kenya to curb congestion and the spread of the virus. The Safe Trade Market It will minimize disruptions to especially women traders at borders who have been forced to shut down their operations in line with various Covid-19 protocols hence disrupting their once thriving livelihoods. The project was launched by Principal Secretary in the State Department of East African Community Dr. Kevit Desai and Busia County Governor, H.E. Sospeter Ojaamong. Speaking during the launch Dr. Desai noted the State Department is committed to raise trade in the region from the current 15% to 60%. “Cross border traders are key to the region attaining the desired levels of inter-regional trade. As a government we are committed to build capacity of cross border traders and facilitate them more. I thank TradeMark E.A and the donors, the EU, Canada and Ireland for the Safe Trade Zones project that is greatly supporting this agenda.” said Desai. The Busia Safe Trade Zone Market will be constructed and manged in strict compliance of health protocols to ensure trade...

TradeMark Africa (TMA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ireland have today launched a €100,000 (approx. USD 118,000) project that contributes to increasing the number of women participating in trade within the agricultural sector in Kenya through eliminating the barriers of entry to trade for women and building the capacity of female producers, aggregators, cross-border traders and women-owned or women-led MSMEs / SMEs. The project will leverage and strengthen on the interventions of the Women in Trade (WIT) project targeting a total of 7,000 female producers, aggregators, cross-border traders and a minimum of 35 women-owned or women-led SMEs / MSMEs within the agricultural sector. Further, the selected value chains, including avocado, mango, cassava, groundnuts, soybean and maize have been identified as having the potential to provide economic opportunities for women along the value chain. In Kenya, agriculture makes up a large proportion of Kenya’s economy, and subsequently, Kenya’s economic opportunities. Importantly, Kenya’s established market institutions and supporting social infrastructures, suggest that agricultural trade has the potential to provide sustainable, scalable, and meaningful impact to women’s economic empowerment in Kenya. Speaking during the launch, Jill Clements, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Cooperation welcomes the continued partnership with TradeMark Africa focusing on women in trade as part of Ireland’s commitment to gender equality. The project has 4 keys output areas; strengthening access to agri-markets for female aggregators and producers; increasing participation of women traders in select sectors; enhancing capacity in women-owned and women-led SMEs and MSMEs and improving the...

TradeMark Africa (TMA) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), signed this afternoon a €29.9 million (approx. USD 35.5 million) grant agreement to contribute to more sustainable and inclusive regional economic integration in the Horn of Africa. The funding comes from the European Union, who delegated it to AFD via a €32 million total financing agreement, signed one week earlier between the two parties. The TMA-AFD project will focus on the Djibouti corridor as the main artery of trade for Ethiopia, whilst also supporting more inclusive trade between Djibouti and Ethiopia. The overall objective is to enhance the competitiveness of this corridor through logistical and regulatory improvements (reduction of transport and transit times at ports and border crossings, simplification of procedures and reduction of associated costs) and strengthening the capacity of stakeholders to benefit from these improvements, including the most vulnerable. It will be implemented according to four lines of operation: Reduction of trade costs and time along the Djibouti-Ethiopia corridor, from Djibouti Port to the Galafi border post and the dry ports in Simplification and harmonisation of procedures, standards and regulations governing trade between the two countries, bringing them into line with the various trade agreements signed, with a view to their Support to enterprises and producers in the logistics sector both in Ethiopia and in Djibouti and in the export Support to the most vulnerable populations: small traders at the borders, women operating in export sectors, , to enable them to take advantage of these improvements. In 2019,...