[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Applying the ‘Prioritizing SPS Investment for Market Access (P-IMA)’ Framework to Prioritize SPS Investments For Regional Trade" implementor="The Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat" target_group="National Standards Bodies (NSBs), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Competent Authorities, and affiliate regulatory authorities, manufacturers and cross border businesses." project_value="US$ 110,000" implementation_period="October 2019 – December 2020" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="https://www.trademarkafrica.com/download/57400/"]The objective of TMA’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) programme is to facilitate trade in agricultural goods while supporting regulators in their objective of protecting human, animal or plant life, and simultaneously avoid unnecessary barriers to trade. The project is implemented by among others, addressing private sector inability to meet SPS requirements due to inadequate knowledge and skills on SPS risks along the value chain, high costs of control & management of SPS risks, and complex inspection and approval procedures in trade. The P-IMA project’s objective, therefore, is to develop capacity for application of the P-IMA framework for prioritization of trade-related SPS capacity-building and investments options for national and regional interventions. The project will also tackle weak capacities by SPS Competent Authorities and policy frameworks to produce and meet technical requirements. Progress: The project has so far facilitated collaboration between SPS Competent Authorities and stake holders to present the P-IMA framework, and equip SPS experts with knowledge and skills needed to apply P-IMA. Analysis of regional SPS investment options has been completed. This analysis provides evidence to support ranking of investment options and facilitate inputs and strategic policy engagements...

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Development of the Regional Technical Regulations Framework for Facilitating Cross Border Trade in Food and Cosmetic Products" implementor="East African Community (EAC) Secretariat" target_group="National Standards Bodies (NSBs), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Competent Authorities, and affiliate regulatory authorities, manufacturers and cross border businesses." project_value="US$ 100,000" implementation_period="July 2018 – June 2022" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="https://www.trademarkafrica.com/download/63428/"]Development of the regional technical regulations framework for food and cosmetics is responding to challenges experienced by manufacturers/producers and cross border businesses in meeting conformity requirements and accessing their preferred markets in a timely and cost-effective manner. These challenges are caused by the requirements affecting product characteristics or their related conformity processes and production methods, including the applicable administrative provisions and costs, for which compliance is mandatory. Upon adoption, implementation of the framework will see reduced times and costs for compliance, resulting from multiple requirements across EAC Partner States. The framework will also promote cooperation among regional regulatory authorities as well as efficiencies in quality infrastructure investments and resource management. Progress: Following its approval and validation by the East African Standards Committee (EASC), the adopted regional technical regulations framework for facilitating cross border trade in food and cosmetic products documented major success with the development of harmonized criteria for registration, approval and verification of processed and pre-packaged foods, during a taskforce meeting held September 30 2020. Drafting of these criteria was supported by EU-EAC Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP) with focus on registration, approval, and verification of processed and pre-packaged foods, which was submitted to the taskforce...

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Busia Trade Logistics Cluster" implementor="Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives and Busia District Local Government" target_group="Importers, Exporters, Transporters, Regulatory Government Agencies." project_value="USD 760,000" implementation_period="2018- 2022" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="https://www.trademarkafrica.com/download/57219/"]The Busia border being the main transport artery carrying trade from Mombasa through Kenya to Uganda, has a comparative advantage to create jobs and spur growth than many other existing border posts. However, a key challenge in enhancing trade through Busia relates to the poor state of logistics and market infrastructure in place to support cargo aggregation, storage and distribution, sorting, packing/repacking, and labelling and several other ancillary and miscellaneous services. What: Building on the successes achieved through the development of a one stop border post at Busia by TMA, Busia TLC seeks to develop logistics and market infrastructure in Busia along with required regulatory interventions which shall make trade and logistics from the region more efficient, thereby reducing costs and supporting an increase in trade volumes. This project will contribute to the structural transformation of cross border trade around Busia away from its current reliance on low productivity informal trade in maize and horticulture towards greater economic diversification by increasing production and quality of maize and horticultural produce. Women traders will also be targeted given they are active small-scale cross border traders. All these shall result in a decrease in poverty levels through increasing net income for the trade chain, especially for the producers and create more Jobs. How: TMA, with funding from the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and...

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Implementation Of WTO Trade Agreements" implementor="TMA, jointly with the EAC Secretariat, UNCTAD and WCO" target_group="Ministries of Trade in EAC partner States, Transporters, Importers, Exporters, Clearing and Forwarding Agents." project_value="US, 000" implementation_period="Jul 1, 2018 to June 30, 2023 Updated February 2020" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"]TradeMark Africa (TMA) and UNCTAD signed a Cooperation Agreement in 2015 and implemented during a Phase I from early 2016 to end of 2018 with three components: (I) Trade Facilitation; (II) Trade Portals and (III) Trade and Gender. As a result three of the five EAC Partner States have ratified the TFA, five of the EAC PS have established National Trade Facilitation Committees (NTFCs), four of the five have established national trade information portals, a regional trade facilitation index tool was developed and launched in December 2018 and most importantly, EAC PS signed a declaration of their renewed commitment to implementing Trade Facilitation (TF) measures. Whilst good progress has been made, much more needs to be done. The NTFCs need additional capacity to effectively champion the TF agenda in the region; trade portals need to be optimised with additional modules such as tariff and Non-Tariff Measures(NTMs); Enquiry points are fragmented and not integrated with trade portals for maximum benefits; the current Trade portals show “as is” procedures which are duplicative or cumbersome and need to be simplified and TF measures uptake by corridor authorities need to be enhanced. What: The objective of phase II will be to build on the results achieved during the first...

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Elimination Of NTBs (Strategy 2)" implementor="The National Trade Facilitation Committees, The EAC Secretariat, Ministries of Trade, Private Sector business member organizations, Private firms, Border agencies, The Northern and Central Corridor Authorities, Media, Donor organisations with similar programmes in the region e.g. African Development Bank and USAID." target_group="Public and private sector institutions" project_value="US$ 4,120,000" implementation_period="September 2018 - July 2022 Updated February 2020" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"]Implementation of TMA Strategy 1 interventions focused on the identification, monitoring, reporting and elimination of NTBs, capacity building of the National Monitoring Committees (NMCs) at the national level, and supported businesses to report NTBs faster by using mobile based applications, specifically the short message systems (SMS). Despite making inroads in the region, there is room for improvement in terms of a more streamlined real-time framework for the identification, monitoring and elimination of NTBs in the region, more deliberate public private dialogue with the aim of tackling the root causes of NTBs. What: Considering success and challenges of the Strategy I interventions aimed at eliminating Non-Tariff Barriers in the EAC region. Strategy II TMA Investment in elimination of NTBS aims to establish a more coordinated process of NTB identification, monitoring and elimination while using more effective delivery channels and better integration with other TMA programmes in the EAC How: The Non-Tariff Barriers programme will focus on two broad areas: Strengthened institutional capacity to effectively respond to and resolve NTBs. Improved cooperation and dialogue in the resolution of existing NTBs. Contact: Mary Odongo, Email: mary.odongo@trademarkea.com[/single_project_block_1][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row el_id="desired-result"][vc_column][single_project_block_2...

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Smart Borders East Africa - IBM Border Programme II" implementor="TMA, jointly with the EAC Secretariat and OSBPs Lead Agencies, in collaboration with all the Government border agencies (Ministries, Departments and Agencies), National OSBPs Steering Committees, National Trade Facilitation Committees, Corridor Authorities and Joint Border Committees." target_group="Border officials, transporters, importers and exporters in Tanzania/East Africa" project_value="US$ 15,168,000" implementation_period="Jul 1, 2018 to Jun 30, 2023 Updated February 2020" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"]In Strategy One, TMA supported EAC Partner States to deliver a number of trade facilitation initiatives recommended by the WTO TFA. These include the establishment of 14 One Stop Border Posts and integrated border management programmes. However, there are a number challenges constraining full maximisation of the benefits of SI interventions including sustainability approaches to ensure continuous performance improvements of OSBPS. There are also delays on EAC border frontiers which constrain trade to and from adjoining States notably DRC and Ethiopia. What: The programme focuses on the most immediate priorities that will sustain and further enhance operational efficiency, capacity and environmental sustainability of selected OSBPs. These priorities aim at minimising costs and delays at borders; further streamlining border procedures and establishing a sustainable and systematic border performance improvement programme. How: The programme interventions will be at OSBPS supported in TMA Strategy one and those proposed under strategy two. These include enhancing the monitoring of OSBP performance and improving trade flow efficiency at new borders. Contact: Jackline Murekatete, Email: jackline.murekatete@trademarkea.com Click here to learn more about One Stop Border Posts...

[vc_row][vc_column][rev_slider slidertitle="Trade Logistics Information Pipeline (TLIP)" alias="advocacy-and-monitoring-of-ntbs-banner-1"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Trade Logistics Information Pipeline (TLIP)" implementor="Revenue Authorities, Partner Government Agencies & IOTA" target_group="Exporters, Clearing and Forwarding agencies, Government agencies involved in export, Importers in the destination market, transporters" project_value="Est. $4,000,000" implementation_period="2019 – 2020" download_btn_text=" Visit TLIP Website" download_btn_link="https://www.tlip.io"] International trade is essentially an information-intensive exercise which requires the generation, transmission and storage of this information as a critical success factor for trade. One of the major challenges affecting international trade flows is the exchange of information between trade actors across borders. The lack of an integrated framework for information exchange across borders makes visibility of goods and services on transit practically impossible and hence no individual actor in the trade supply chain can account for what is being traded on with precise accuracy. The information that is exchanged across borders to support the trade supply chain is mainly through third parties, using manual documents that are susceptible to fraud, and many a times, not synchronized with the movement of the respective goods and services. The existing cross border trade information exchange framework is costly, inefficient, and inaccurate and lacks transparency. How the documents are generated and transmitted to/from destination/source markets has created doubts as there have been incidences of fraud and/or loss of documents. The resulting delays in the process has an impact on the durability (since most exports from EAC are agricultural goods) and competitiveness of these goods. What: The Trade Logistics Information Pipeline (TLIP) aims to address this challenge by...

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Industrialization" implementor="EAC Secretariat" target_group="East African Region" project_value="US$ 700,000" implementation_period="Jul 1, 2017 to Jun 30, 2021" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"]The EAC Region is endowed with vast natural resources which, however, remain untapped due to a combination of factors. These include non-conducive policies and business environments both at national and regional levels, gaps in requisite skills and technological know-how, and limited and fragmented national markets which limit the realization of economies of scale in production and information gaps. This calls for strategic collaboration among Partner States in order to collectively address the policy, regulatory, market and information challenges which reduce incentives for private investments in the industrial sector and have contributed to the undeveloped value chains. To exploit the resource endowment in the region and enhance the region’s industrialization levels, through value addition initiatives, a regional policy framework has been formulated. The EAC Industrialization Strategy has earmarked six strategic resource-based industries, in which the region has a comparative advantage, and which will be developed to facilitate productive integration (PI) through industrial deepening, diversifying, specialization and upgrading. Among the six strategic sectors are also Cotton, Textiles and Apparels; and Leather and Footwear. The sectors were selected based on the priorities identified in Partner States industrial development plans, consultations with the business community, and the potentials as evaluated using technical feasibility (resources available, technological capacity) and relative attractiveness (measured by market size, growth, and pro-poor characteristics) indicators. What: TMA Industrialization project is designed to support the EAC Secretariat in conducting studies and...

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="EAC Single Customs Territory" implementor="East African Community Secretariat" target_group="EAC Partner States Revenue Authorities, Port Authorities (KPA, TPA) and other Clearing and Forwarding Agencies and Border Authorities and other Agencies involved in the clearance of cargo." project_value="$4,395,000" implementation_period="2017 – 2023" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"]The Protocol on the Establishment of the EAC Customs Union was concluded and signed in 2004 and implementation commenced in January 2005. Following the completion of the transition period for the Customs Union implementation, in April 2012, the Summit in principle adopted the Destination Model (DM) where goods are verified and released at the first point of entry after assessment and payment of taxes have been made in the destination country. Furthermore, a High-Level Task Force (HLTF) was established to develop a framework outlining key pre-conditions for implementing the destination model under the Single Customs Territory (SCT). The Single Customs Territory is aimed at improving the trade environment and creates competitiveness of the goods traded in the region through removal of internal border controls and documentation; minimisation of costly processes that delay movement of goods; and institutionalising a regional mechanism for the administration of customs operations by merging hitherto five customs territories of the five Partner States. In Strategy 1 TMA’s support was focused on strengthening the operations of the Customs Union working towards the establishment of the Single Customs Territory (SCT). The project covered a number of activities including operationalization of TWGs who developed the framework for the development of ICT systems and business procedures,...

[vc_row][vc_column][rev_slider slidertitle="Market Linkages Programme – KIVUs Region" alias="market-linkages-programme-kivus-region"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Market Linkages Programme – KIVUs Region" project_value="US $ 300,000" implementation_period="(Start date) - (Expected end date)October 2017 - December 2020"]The aim of the project is to reduce the DRC growing trade deficit with its EAC neighbors. To achieve this, TMA is funding an integrated export development programme implemented in Eastern DRC comprising mainly (i) Export Capacity Programme : export audit leading to the development of an export action plan for 20 qualified companies;(ii) Export adviser initiative: 6 month programme of training and hands-on coaching and mentoring in the field of 15 local export advisers; (ii)Market linkages programme: focused market research followed by tailored sales missions for 10-15 companies targeting selected EAC/regional markets. Responsibility Center : 42_DRC Project approval summary: 1. PAR approval date: June 2016 PAR number: DRC CBT PAR 2. PAR approval authority: Board NB/ If the project is above $250,000 a PAR must be submitted for approval[/single_project_block_1][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row disable_element="yes" el_id="desired-result"][vc_column][single_project_block_2 heading="Desired Results" image_1="42084" image_2="42057"]1. Reduced barriers to trade in selected sub-sectors in Burundi (Fisheries, palm products and fruits) and greater inclusion of women in trade. 2. Improved export capabilities in fisheries, palm and fruits sub-sectors[/single_project_block_2][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row disable_element="yes"][vc_column][project_single_ele_3_container heading="More Project Insights." sub_heading="Projects Highlights From A Glance" slide_1="info access for 20 crops & over five breeds of livestock" slide_2="info access for 20 crops & over five breeds of livestock" slide_3="info access for 20 crops & over five breeds of livestock"][single_project_content]Key outputs include; Burundi NMC National Coordinator is recruited [/single_project_content][single_project_content]Burundi NMC National Strategy is developed and...