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...

An MOU between TradeMark Africa and Ministry of Trade and Industry marks the official completion and beginning of operationalising the markets Upcoming activities including space allocation to traders Construction of Rubavu and Rusizi markets was supported by TMA with funding from DFID and the Embassy of Belgium Rubavu 21st March 2019: The Rwanda Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have today announced the official completion of Rusizi and Rubavu Cross Border Markets. The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to symbolise completion and official handover of the markets from TMA to the government of Rwanda. The handover marks opening the market space to traders for business. TMA partnered with MINICOM and Rubavu and Rusizi District administration to oversee construction of the markets for the last 1 year. United Kingdom’s Department for Foreign Development (DFID) and Embassy of Belgium in Rwanda provide funding of USD$ 3, 302 ,255.35 and 2,165,250.17 for Rubavu and Rusizi respectively. Rusizi market is all-inclusive with 186 spaces for trading in goods while Rubavu has 192 spaces. Markets facilities include cold rooms, Creche, warehousing, banks and forex bureaus, sanitary facilities as well as service parking. These cross-border markets directly respond to Rwanda’s National Cross Border Trade strategy that calls for the development of CBMS to promote trade between Rwanda and neighbouring countries; and it is expected that the markets will promote cross border trade between Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. The MOU stipulates that TMA will provide a two-year technical assistance...

An MOU between TradeMark Africa and Ministry of Trade and Industry marks the official completion and beginning of operationalising the markets Upcoming activities including space allocation to traders Construction of Rubavu and Rusizi markets was supported by TMA with funding from DFID and the Embassy of Belgium Rubavu 21st March 2019: The Rwanda Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have today announced the official completion of Rusizi and Rubavu Cross Border Markets. The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to symbolise completion and official handover of the markets from TMA to the government of Rwanda. The handover marks opening the market space to traders for business. TMA partnered with MINICOM and Rubavu and Rusizi District administration to oversee construction of the markets for the last 1 year. United Kingdom’s Department for Foreign Development (DFID) and Embassy of Belgium in Rwanda provide funding of USD$ 3, 302 ,255.35 and 2,165,250.17 for Rubavu and Rusizi respectively. Rusizi market is all-inclusive with 186 spaces for trading in goods while Rubavu has 192 spaces. Markets facilities include cold rooms, Creche, warehousing, banks and forex bureaus, sanitary facilities as well as service parking. These cross-border markets directly respond to Rwanda’s National Cross Border Trade strategy that calls for the development of CBMS to promote trade between Rwanda and neighbouring countries; and it is expected that the markets will promote cross border trade between Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. The MOU stipulates that TMA will provide a two-year technical assistance...

An MOU between TradeMark East Africa and Ministry of Trade and Industry marks the official completion and beginning of operationalising the markets Upcoming activities including space allocation to traders Construction of Rubavu and Rusizi markets was supported by TMA with funding from DFID and the Embassy of Belgium   Rubavu 21st March 2019:  The Rwanda Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) and TradeMark Africa (TMA) have today announced the official completion of Rusizi and Rubavu Cross Border Markets. The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to symbolise completion and official handover of the markets from TMA to the government of Rwanda. The handover marks opening the market space to traders for business.   TMA partnered with MINICOM and Rubavu and Rusizi District administration to oversee construction of the markets for the last 1 year. United Kingdom’s Department for Foreign Development (DFID) and Embassy of Belgium in Rwanda provide funding of USD$ 3, 302 ,255.35 and 2,165,250.17 for Rubavu and Rusizi respectively.    Rusizi market is all-inclusive with 186 spaces for trading in goods while Rubavu has 192 spaces. Markets facilities include cold rooms, Creche, warehousing, banks and forex bureaus, sanitary facilities as well as service parking. These cross-border markets directly respond to Rwanda’s National Cross Border Trade strategy that calls for the development of CBMS to promote trade between Rwanda and neighbouring countries; and it is expected that the markets will promote cross border trade between Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. The MOU stipulates that TMA will provide a two-year technical assistance support that will ensure efficient operationalisation of the market and will also support the continuous monitoring of emerging lessons and results of the markets. This will be a critical building block towards the long-term sustainability of the outcomes of the programme. The handover paves way for MINICOM to set up and operationalise the Cross-Border...

The two harbour cranes are part of the Mombasa port improvement programme providing more resilient infrastructure facilities with an aim of reducing carbon emissions and helping the port, its users and other stakeholders adapt to the effects of climate change. The cranes will enable the port to handle two vessels at a time instead of the present one which in turn will reduce ship waiting times and significantly greenhouse gas emissions from their diesel powered engines. The eco hoppers which will be received in December 2017 to complement the cranes will provide dust and spillage-free unloading through a dust control system that minimizes escape of dust during discharge and reduces running expenses on average by 30%. Mombasa, Kenya, 29th August 2017 - Kenya Ports Authority’s (KPA) equipment acquisition efforts for the Port of Mombasa got a major boost on Tuesday following the arrival of two ultra-modern diesel electric cranes. The cranes funded by Trade Mark East Africa (TMA) through the UK government’s International Climate Fund (ICF) facility were procured at a total cost of Kshs 868.27 million (USD 8.7 million). The two portal harbor cranes are part of a comprehensive programme in supporting the Port of Mombasa’s resilient port infrastructure initiatives. These cranes are aimed at mitigating the negative effects on the environment. They are a first of their kind to be deployed in East and Southern Africa. The cranes will provide dust and spillage-free unloading through a dust control system that minimizes escape of dust during discharge and reduces...

The four eco hoppers are part of the Mombasa port improvement programme providing more resilient infrastructure facilities with an aim of reducing carbon emissions and helping the port, its users and other stakeholders adapt to the effects of climate change. The eco hoppers will provide dust and spillage-free unloading through a dust control system that minimizes escape of dust during discharge and reduces running expenses on average by 30%. The eco hoppers were procured at a total cost of Kshs 623.21 Million (USD 6.2 Million) and financed through UK Government’s International Climate Fund Mombasa, Kenya, 3rd June 2018 - Kenya Ports Authority’s (KPA) equipment acquisition efforts for the Port of Mombasa got a major boost on Saturday following the arrival of four eco hoppers. The Four (4) new eco hoppers supplied by Samson Materials Handling Limited are the first equipment of their kind not only in Kenya but also the entire East and Central Africa region. The eco hoppers funded by TradeMark Africa through the UK government’s International Climate Fund (ICF) were procured at a total cost of Kshs 623.21 Million (USD 6.2 Million). TMA has supported port improvements particularly in mitigation and adaptation to climatic change impacts through the Mombasa Resilient Infrastructure Programme (MRIP) which is financed fully by DFID. The program aims to transform the port of Mombasa into a modern and competitive regional hub that is more productive with efficient operations in a sustainable environment. Successful delivery and discharge of the eco hoppers completes in part the...

NAIROBI, Kenya, 20th August 2018:  The Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA) has today signed a financing agreement worth US Dollars One Million Five Hundred Thousand ($1,500,000) towards supporting digitalisation of its operations and services. The funding comes from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) channeled through TradeMark Africa (TMA), who will provide technical and project financing support to the agency with the aim to better and efficiently serve their stakeholders nationally, regionally and globally. The proposed digitalization project is twofold: First, it will involve development of ICT-enabled solutions for ease in detection of counterfeits by consumers; ease the process of reporting on counterfeiting by intellectual property rights (IPR) owners. Secondly, it will involve support to research and awareness programs to establish the national public awareness level on counterfeiting and the implementation of a “Training of Trainers (TOT) program on matters of counterfeits. The signing was witnessed by the Anti-Counterfeit Agency chairperson Mrs Flora Mutai, TMA Kenya Country Programme Director, Ahmed Farah and UKAID Head of Sustainable Economic Development, Ian Mills. Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Anti-Counterfeit Agency chairperson Mrs Flora Mutai appreciated the support from TMA towards digitising its operations. She noted the increased challenge posed by counterfeiters who are using modern technology to copy trademarks and industrial designs up to undetectable levels. She said: “Technology has now moved to the wrong hands. We are witnessing illicit trade crime sophistication due to “IT in wrong hands”. 3D Technology and access to online markets and sources are a click away; 3D...

Alistair Group, established in 2006 in Tanzania, offers quality road freight and logistics solutions delivered to its customers’ operations. Alistair Group, with funding support from the Logistics Innovation for Trade (LIFT) Challenge Fund, has begun implementing the Alistair+ freight exchange service project with the first step being the development of the Alistair+ application. The strategic objective of the Alistair+ project is to create the technology that will allow the Alistair Group to better connect with subcontractors which will in turn result in increased access to the transportation market for SME transporters and produce operational efficiencies that will reduce transport times and costs. The application will create efficiencies for the logistics and transport industry by enabling SMEs (specifically small-scale locally-owned transporters) to better participate in the logistics chain, while also allocating reputable safe drivers and vehicles to ‘last-mile’ deliveries, or client orders via the use of a database that will include the drivers’ safety histories, deliveries undertaken and vehicle status. As each driver and vehicle is vetted and tracked, pre-clearance will be automated with a centralized documentation system and alerts for loading and offloading. This, in turn, will result in better coordination in the logistics chain. The application will also ensure that truck maintenance and driver training schedules are up to the highest safety standards. Over-speeding and dangerous driving of trucks will be minimised as the driver’s vehicles will be tracked with PS using mobile devices and networks. Transportation routes will be efficiently chosen with the application possessing the ability to notify drivers of route changes and route-way information. The driver will thus receive turn-by-turn directions...