[vc_row][vc_column][rev_slider alias="climate-change-11"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]PRESS RELEASE Tunduma, 5th October 2019: H.E. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, President of the United Republic of Tanzania and H.E Edgar Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia officially launched the Tunduma One Stop Border Post (OSBP) located on the Tanzania/Zambia border, today. The OSBP ensures effective border control mechanisms are in place. It will boost trade by cutting the time taken to clear goods between the two nations, thus contributing to a reduction in transport cost, whilst increasing volumes of transhipment cargo through the Dar es salaam Corridor. On average trucks leaving Tanzania take about 2.5 days to cross the Tunduma border into Zambia. It is expected that time to cross the border will reduce by at least a third. Over the years, delays in cross border clearance were attributed to duplication of handling procedures on either side of the border, poor institutional arrangement and cargo management systems, inadequate physical infrastructures and services and immigration management. The new established OSBP is envisioned to address some of these challenges. Construction of the Tunduma OSBP including systems and other related soft infrastructure was carried out with funding of US$7.8 million from the United Kingdom through the Department for International Development (DFID). The OSBP investment includes office buildings, roads and parking yards, cargo verification bays, scanner shed, passenger sheds, targeting booths, warehouse and canopies, ICT networks and hardware, furniture, and institutional support to the border agencies. Tunduma is the busiest transit and entry point in Tanzania linking transit trade destined for...

[download id="47573"]

[download id="47577"]

Geneva, July 3rd, 2019: TradeMark Africa (TMA) has today signed a $3.14 M financing agreement with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) which is aimed at ensuring that EAC countries comply with the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). The agreement was signed by TMA CEO, Frank Matsaert and the Secretary General of UNCTAD, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi in Geneva. The initial TradeMark Africa (TMA) and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Financial Aid Arrangement was signed in 2015 and implemented from early 2016 with three components: (I) Trade Facilitation (TF); (II) Trade Portals and (III) Gender. The main objective of component I was to assist in setting up the institutional environment for Trade Facilitation in five East African Community (EAC) Partner States (PS); Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The main activity was focused on creating the National Trade Facilitation Committees (NTFCs) in the five mentioned PS and to empower them through a capacity building program allowing them to coordinate and supervise their national TF processes, including implementation of the World Trade Organisation Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA). The main achievements of the capacity building program were WTO TFA ratification by Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda and the notification of A measures by the EAC PS in 2015 and the B and C measures for Rwanda in June 2018. As of 2017, the five EAC countries have had their NTFC legally established and operationally functional. The current cooperation agreement was foreseen to end in December 2017. However,...

Kampala, 9 July 2019:  Today, the DRC Directorate of Customs and Excise (DGDA) and the Ugandan Revenues Authority (URA) signed the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS) standards operating procedures, marking the launch of the RECTs control centre extension to DRC cargo. This project is facilitated by TradeMark Africa (TMA) through a $642,000 fund from the Department of International Development (DFID). RECTs is now operational in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and now DRC. The project will be implemented in three phases with the first phase being the launch of the Uganda Office, the second phase will be opening of the Goma office in eastern DRC while the final phase will be the launch of the Kinsasha command center. The introduction of an electronic cargo tracking system to the Northern Corridor will decrease transit costs by reducing lengthy transit times caused by physical checks in transit countries and across the DRC territory. The system will also reduce the risk of freight diversion between the place of origin and checkpoints. As a result, it will effectively combat fraud and increase the country's tax revenues. The RECTS will also benefit the eastern Africa region as a whole in which goods to or from DRC will transit including; Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya. TMA’s support to the initiative includes technical assistance for the assessment and understanding of needs and requirements for the system to be in place, as well as material assistance, spanning from the provision of the IT equipment and systems for a pilot DRC...

Kigali, 23 May 2019:  Today, TradeMark Africa (TMA) and Rwanda’s trade body, the Private Sector Federation (PSF) announced a new Public-Private Sector Dialogue (PPD) for trade and investment programme and support to women entrepreneur’s programme. TMA will fund both programmes with US$2.26 Million over a period of four years. The two organisations made the announcement during the signing of a grant agreement, which also marked the kick-off of the first phase, which will run for two years. PSF which is the umbrella of all business in Rwanda said the Public-Private Sector Dialogue (PPD) for Trade and Investment programme, will build mechanisms that support the private sector to actively and meaningfully participate resolving local and regional trade issues; and especially pushing for resolution of matters affecting Rwanda. For example, as a land locked country, Rwanda contends with numerous non-tariff barriers along the key transport corridors from port to destination, leading to high transport costs. Removal of such non-tariff barriers would greatly reduce transport related costs.  “We have identified priority issues like regional transport logistics which, if resolved can reduce transport costs and time in Rwanda,” said PSF CEO, Stephen Ruzibiza . “We may have the disadvantage of having no port. Therefore our aim is to make the country land linked; and we will continue to work with the government of Rwanda to reform customs and adopt Information Communication Technology for Trade with the aim of further reducing time and costs; with a unified voice we expect to push for a reduction...

Dar es salaam June 3rd 2019 - TradeMark Africa (TMA) and Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) have today signed a grant agreement to support Public Private Dialogue (PPD) in Tanzania. The three years grant amounting USD 1,190,000 (equivalent to TZS 2.7 billion) is expected to end in June 2022. The grant is expected to improve sectoral dialogues amongst the private sector, and between public and private sectors through with a specific focus on trade, logistics and transports, taxes, customs, standards, and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) with the aim of improving the business environment and attract investments in the country. In his remarks Mr. John Ulanga TMA’s Country Director said  “We are glad today to sign this agreement which is going to help the private sector to dialogue with the government in a more constructive way backed up with data. TradeMark Africa strongly believes in the importance of collaboration between the Government and Private Sector, and that can only be achieved through effective dialogues. When the two work together collaboratively, a lot more can be achieved, and the cost of doing business will reduce hence making our country more competitive” Mr. Ulanga added that “Tanzania has the biggest advantage in the East and Central Africa Region due to its geographical location.  Bordered by six countries, Tanzania deserves to be the Trade and Logistics Hub of the region.  Therefore, this grant will help in the conversations amongst private sector, and between public and public sector on how to ensure Tanzania can take...

MINICOM and TMA sign new USD 11.2Million deal to implement projects that will reduce barriers to trade at the policy and grassroots level Funding is provided by United States Agency for International Development and UK’s Department for International Development   Kigali, 19 June 2019:  TradeMark Africa (TMA) has committed to fund Rwanda’s Ministry of Trade and Industry with USD 11.2Million in support of programmes that will improve Rwanda’s regulatory environment to reduce barriers to trade. The funding has been provided by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).. The announcement was made today during an MOU signing ceremony between TMA and MINICOM. The agreement with MINICOM is part of TMA’s USD 50Million programme with the government of Rwanda (GOR) that aims to support interventions that will improve the country’s competitiveness through investments in key sectors. The two partners committed to build on ongoing interventions that have reduced barriers to trade like automation of key trade processes and upgrading of physical trade infrastructure.  Some of the new interventions will include the supporting trade and industry directorates to review and develop trade policies and strategies that will facilitate Rwanda private sector compete in global markets. This will be in addition to supporting National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) to support the negotiation and implementation of trade agreements. The money will also be used for the construction and operationalization of cross border markets at Nkora, Rubavu, Rusizi, Burera and Karongi. The authorities noted successes of its...

TradeMark Africa (TMA) today committed to fund Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) with US$ 1 Million in support of projects that will enhance food safety and trade.  The new interventions will benefit farmers, pack houses, feed millers and feed transporters who will be enabled to attain international sanitary and phytosanitary standards (SPS) requirements in food safety of local agricultural products; enabling them to access a wide range of markets within the region and internationally. The announcement was made during the signing of a financing agreement between the two organizations, held this afternoon in Kigali. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided funding through TMA. RSB and TMA say the interventions, which will be implemented over the next 4 years, will range from automation of RSB processes to improve service delivery and increase customer satisfaction, to development of a 7 year strategic plan that will guide RSB in keeping up with global best practice in standards and SPS measures, to upgrading certification schemes to reach advanced standards. The agreement with RSB is part of TMA’s US$ 50 Million programme with the government of Rwanda (GoR) that aims to support interventions that will improve the country’s competitiveness through investments in key sectors, of which agriculture is one. Agriculture is the main economic activity in Rwanda that accounts for 33% of the GDP, and within which 70% of the population engages in. Around 72% of the working population is employed in agriculture, making it a critical intervention area for TMA in...

TradeMark Africa (TMA) today committed to fund Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) with US$ 1 Million in support of projects that will enhance food safety and trade.  The new interventions will benefit farmers, pack houses, feed millers and feed transporters who will be enabled to attain international sanitary and phytosanitary standards (SPS) requirements in food safety of local agricultural products; enabling them to access a wide range of markets within the region and internationally. The announcement was made during the signing of a financing agreement between the two organizations, held this afternoon in Kigali. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided funding through TMA. RSB and TMA say the interventions, which will be implemented over the next 4 years, will range from automation of RSB processes to improve service delivery and increase customer satisfaction, to development of a 7 year strategic plan that will guide RSB in keeping up with global best practice in standards and SPS measures, to upgrading certification schemes to reach advanced standards. The agreement with RSB is part of TMA’s US$ 50 Million programme with the government of Rwanda (GoR) that aims to support interventions that will improve the country’s competitiveness through investments in key sectors, of which agriculture is one. Agriculture is the main economic activity in Rwanda that accounts for 33% of the GDP, and within which 70% of the population engages in. Around 72% of the working population is employed in agriculture, making it a critical intervention area for TMA in...