Thursday, October 22, 2020| Nairobi, Kenya The Women in Trade Programme aims at benefitting 2,000 women traders across the borders of Nimule, Kaya and Nadapal and will focus on improving the trading environment for women in trade as well as build trade capacity of women traders, SMEs and Cooperatives. The Women in Trade is a 9 months Programme from May 2020 to February 2021, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Trade Mark East Africa (TMA). Through the Programme, TradeMark Africa seeks to increase incomes and improve livelihoods for women traders and women-owned enterprises through capacity building, addressing trade barriers and advocacy for policies that will create an enabling environment for women traders and women-led SMEs. This is part of a larger initiative by TMA to tackle poverty and reduce inequality through increased trade and competitiveness. The expected end of programme outcome is “Increased Social and Economic Empowerment of Women Traders in Eastern Africa. This empowerment will be achieved through 3 key objectives: Increase income from trade for targeted women traders in East Africa. Increase the capacity of women to participate in trade promote the rights of women in trade and reduce their vulnerability to violence and exploitation. The first phase of the Programme (2010-2018) delivered exceptional results which contributed to substantial gains in East Africa’s trade and regional integration in terms of reduced cargo transit times, improved border efficiency, and reduced barriers to trade. Now in the second phase (2018 - 2023), the focus is on: Reducing barriers...

Nairobi, 3 November 2020: The Government of Kenya (GOK) and TradeMark Africa (TMA), today signed four (4) financing agreements of Kes.1.31 Billion to support construction of four infrastructure projects in Mombasa, Malaba and Busia.  The Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Planning Hon. Amb. Ukur Yatani and TMA Chief Operating Officer Mr. David Stanton signed on behalf of their respective institutions. The signing was witnessed by the Director Development, British High Commission and   Kenya’s Principal Secretaries of the Ministry East Africa Community and Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, TMA-Kenya Country Director Ahmed Farah and Head of Governance and Health at Danida Mrs. Minna Højland. Today’s Financial Agreement signing shows the continued partnership between TMA and the GOK in support of the Government’s commitment to reduce barriers to trade and create an enabling environment that can attract investments thus creating jobs and contribute to fighting poverty. The specific projects covered by the agreements are: Construction of the proposed Busia Jumuiya Cross Border Market; Construction of the road that links to Busia One Stop Border Post from Busia town; Construction of Magongo road in Mombasa; and Completing pending works at Malaba One Stop Border Post. The envisioned Busia Jumuiya Cross Border Market will occupy 40-acres of land with its full completion costing Kes. 2Billion for 3 phases being a retail section, a wholesale section, and a business hub. Out of this TMA in partnership with Ministry of East Africa Affairs will start Phase 1 which is the retail section estimated to cost...

Gulu, 23rd October 2020: H.E. President Yoweri Museveni today participated in the groundbreaking of the rehabilitation of the Tororo-Gulu Railway Line and the Gulu Logistics Hub. The ceremony was also attended by Other dignitaries included Uganda’s Minister of Works and Transport, Hon. Edward Katumba Wamala, European Union (EU) Ambassador to Uganda, H. E. Attilio Pacifici, UK High Commissioner in Uganda, H. E. Peter West, the Managing Director of the Uganda Railway Corporation, Charles Kateeba and the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Uganda Railway Corporation, Hannington Karuhanga, TradeMark Africa (TMA) Board Chair, Maggie Kigozi and Chief Technical Officer, Allen Asimwe. The Uganda Railways Cooperation with support from the Government of Uganda and the EU started the rehabilitation of the railway Tororo-Gulu in March 2020. The total cost project cost including supervision and resettlement action plan among others, amounts to Euros 47.6 million, of which the Government of Uganda will contribute Euros 26.1 million (113 billion Uganda Shilling) and the European Union Euros 21.5 million (93 billion Uganda Shilling). The rehabilitation is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023. The Tororo–Gulu Railway Line will provide a link between the port of Mombasa and Northern and Eastern Uganda, as well as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The line fell out of service more than two decades ago, due to actions of war by the Lord’s Resistance Army, as well as facing unfair competition by overloaded trucks. The Rehabilitation of the Tororo-Gulu Railway takes place...

INTRA-REGIONAL TOURISM IN FOCUS FOR EATP AS EAC RE-OPENS The East African region as a tourism destination is well renown, mainly due to its unique attractions. It has some of Africa's most evocative safari destinations and the world's last remaining mountain gorillas. From Wildebeest over the savannah in the Serengeti-Maasai Mara ecosystem, rhinos stand in the shade in Ngorongoro crater and Chimpanzees in Western Tanzania's Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains parks to mention a few. The significance of travel and tourism to the EAC partner states economies cannot be over-emphasized. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Tourism in East Africa contributed an average of 8.1% to GDP and 17.2% to export earnings and generates 7.1% of employment. As regards employment, tourism employed about 1,278,000 direct and 1,981,000 indirect jobs in the partner states Tourism in East Africa has taken a severe blow, with the tourism sector expected to face 92 per cent decline in cash flows due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report releasedby the East Africa Business Council. Regional tourism has long relied on international travellers, but cannot bank any longer on traditional key source markets like North America and Europe. Hence the importance to spur the region within EAC capitalizing on the use of national ID and expatriate travel. Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania earned the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) global health and safety stamp, thus are designated as "Safe Travels" Destinations. The EATP advocates for regional tourism as it is a safe destination....

Kobero, Burundi, 24th September 2020 - Regional Aid for Trade Agency TradeMark Africa (TMA) has this morning handed over Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to front line agents working at Burundi’s key borders- in order to protect lives in Burundi and strengthen the war against Covid-19. The PPEs presented were funded by UKAID through TradeMark Africa. On hand to receive the PPEs at Kobero One Stop Border Post, were Minister of East African Community Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture, Honourable Ambassador Ezéchiel Nibigira, Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR) Commissioner of Customs, Mr Adolphe Manirakiza and the Chairman of the Burundi Private Sector Federation (CFCIB), Audace Ndayizeye. The equipment provided includes hand sanitizers, hand washing stations, liquid hand washing soap, infrared thermometer, re-usable safety boots, full protective PPE, filtering facepiece respirator, reusable masks, plastic face shield, disposable gloves, hand sanitiser dispensers and disinfectant spray bottles. Speaking during the handover event, Hon. EAC Minister Amb. Nibigira noted that whereas infections have slowed down in Burundi, it remains imperative for the Government, non-government actors and the citizens to continue working jointly to prevent any re-emergence of the disease. “The fight against this pandemic presents a twin challenge for our nation, we must avoid re-emergence of the disease through new infections and we must also bolster our trade with the region in order to safeguard our economy and the livelihoods of our people”’ noted the Amb. Nibigira. The equipment presented today will enhance the safety and working condition of front-line workers in key borders, which are...

The RECDTS App is designed to stop Corona in its tracks along EAC key transport corridors Arusha, 08/09/2020: The East Africa Community (EAC) Secretariat and its Partner States today held a virtual roll out event to mark the technical completion and development of Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTS). RECDTS is designed as a mobile phone application and will enable the issuance of the EAC COVID-19 digital certificates that are mutually recognised by Partner States, thus eliminating need for multiple testing as well as contributing to alleviating ongoing congestion at East Africa border crossing points. The roll out was witnessed by the EU Ambassador to Kenya H.E Simon Mordue and the Ministries of Health in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda and the Ministries of East Africa Community in the Partner states. RECDTS provides a surveillance system to monitor long distance truckers crew health and enable contact tracing. It allows partner states to electronically share truck drivers’ COVID-19 test results; therefore, minimising need for multiple COVID-19 tests in a single trip. The reliance on manual certificates and delayed test results at the borders has been reported as one of the main reasons for costly long delays at border points, such as those witnessed in Busia, Malaba, Nimule and Elegu. Some of the delays have caused tail backs of trucks measuring tens of kilometres in some cases. The EAC developed the app with funding from European Union, Global Affairs Canada, Danida, Finland, Netherlands and United Kingdom through TradeMark Africa and in...

Six implementing partners will work together to support eight African nations mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. The European Union’s (EU) €60 million COVID-19 response project in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region was launched in Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Ethiopia on Monday, 31 August 2020. The EU-IGAD COVID-19 Response programme will help all eight IGAD member states – Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda – tackle the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a ‘one team, one programme’ approach the six implementing partners include: IGAD, German development agency GIZ, International Organization for Migration (IOM), TradeMark Africa (TMA), UNICEF and UNOPS. Work has already begun with UNOPS as the Programme Manager hosted a two-day (Wednesday, 2 September - Thursday, 3 September 2020) inception workshop to create a common understanding and commitment to the programme between the implementing partners. UNOPS has joined a team of implementing partners to help deliver the EU-IGAD COVID-19 Response, launched earlier this week (Monday 31 August 2020) in Ethiopia. The €60 million programme, financed by the EU, will help eight countries in eastern and southern Africa mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, including: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. The programme was initiated in response to a request made by IGAD, and is part of the EU’s Team Europe Global Response Package to support partner countries combat the challenges of the pandemic and its consequences. The programme will help to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in...

Mombasa, 20th August: The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Kenya H.E. Simon Mordue conducted a two-day visit of Mombasa during which he handed over Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to Kenya Ports Authority to support its fight against COVID-19. The Ambassador was hosted by Mombasa Governor H.E Ali Hassan Joho, Permanent Secretary Ministry of East Africa Community (EAC) Kevit Desai, Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Rashid Salim, and TMA Kenya Country Director, Ahmed Farah. Today’s PPE’s delivery will meet the needs of 2,730 Kenya Ports Authority staff, Port Police, Kenya Revenue Authority staff, Port health staff and sustain them for 60 days. The 2730 staff were prioritised as they are the first responders and most vulnerable dealing with port health, first aiders and handling of cargo as it arrives. The PPE’s include Reusable masks, Hand sanitisers, Hand washing points, Disinfectant spray, Infrared Thermometer, Reusable Safety Boots, Full protective PPE for front line health workers, N95 face masks and face shields, as agreed with KPA in consultation with KRA and port health and advice from medical agencies at regional and international levels. The European Union is the largest donor to Kenya’s component of TMA’s Safe Trade Emergency Facility (STEF) programme with a contribution of KES 600 million (EUR 5 million). Its under this programme that the PPE delivery has been made as part EU’s wider support for mitigation against the spread of COVID-19 and promotion of continous safe trade in Kenya. The delivery to Port of Mombasa is critical as the port...

Busia, 17 July 2020: The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Kenya Simon Mordue, in partnership with TradeMark Africa (TMA), visited the Busia One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) - the border crossing point between Kenya and Uganda - to deliver Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) to the border authorities on the Ugandan and Kenyan side. The delivery was witnessed by Kenya’s Ministry of Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Dr. Rashid A. Aman, PS Ministry of EAC Kevit Desai and his Ugandan counterpart Edith Mwanje, Uganda Revenue Authority Commissioner for Customs, Abel Kagumire, TMA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frank Matsaert, TMA Kenya Country Director, Ahmed Farah, TMA Uganda Country Director, Moses Sabiiti and Busia County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri. This is part of the EU’s wider support for mitigation measures against the spread of COVID-19 and continuous safe trade in Kenya across all the Kenyan borders. Today’s symbolic handover will cover the needs of customs, immigration, security, and port health officials on both sides of the border for a period of 3 months. Making his remarks at the event, EU Ambassador to Kenya Simon Mordue said: “Trade is the lifeline of the economy and many millions of both formal and informal jobs depend on it. By working together closely the Kenyan and Ugandan governments are ensuring that trade can continue through the border posts in Busia and Malaba throughout this COVID-19 crisis. Government agents working in the front line are essential to the cross-border flow of goods and need to be properly protected. Today’s first...

African Economic Research Consortium and TradeMark Africa (TMA) sign USD 500,000 deal to undertake a research programme across the East African Community (EAC). There has been a global appreciation and push for data to inform sound policies; and this partnership will provide key data to the EAC y and Partner States. The funding is provided by the Netherlands government. Nairobi, 6th July 2020:  TradeMark Africa and African Economic Research Consortium signed a memorandum of understanding to support a research programme that will increase the availability of data and evidence to support inclusive trade and gender policies in East Africa. The new programme, worth USD 500,000 is funded by the government of the Netherlands and will be implemented until 2023. The two institutions were represented by TMA’s Chief Executive Officer Frank Matsaert and AERC Executive Director Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u who is also the immediate former governor of Central Bank of Kenya. Giving their remarks, both leads said that better policies as well as development interventions are achieved when informed by evidence. Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u said; “Data provides evidence that results in policy clarity. This is critical for private investments because markets respond to policy clarity.” He further reiterated AERC’s commitment to improving the quality of research and data in the region. His remarks complement  TMA’s learning in its first strategy (2010-2017) where we established that policy proposals backed by evidence, persuaded sceptical policy making institutions of the need to push forward with proposed interventions on realisation of the benefits. Examples where...