Theory of Change: Improved Business Competitiveness

Ntoroko Lake Port

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Ntoroko Lake Port" implementor="Ministry of Works and Transport (Construction) and Uganda Revenue Authority (Operationalise OSBP)" target_group="Importers, Exporters, Transporters, Cross Border Traders, Travellers, Border Officials" project_value="USD 3.4 million" implementation_period="2018- 2022" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="https://www.trademarkafrica.com/download/58873/"]The Ntoroko lake port is located on the shores of Lake Albert between Uganda and DR Congo. Ntoroko port only deals with transit goods from Busia, Malaba, Kasese and Kampala towards Bunia in DR Congo. The lake port is characterised by poor lake port infrastructure, port inefficiencies which results in a poor environment for handling and processing goods and people. DR Congo is a key trading partner for Uganda, with exports including both manufactured goods and agricultural goods. Furthermore, informal trade between Uganda and DR Congo is high, in FY 2017/18 DR Congo was Uganda’s main informal trading partner with total informal export trade of USD 291.48 million. Furthermore, DR Congo has expressed interest in joining the East African Community which will further strengthen its ties with Uganda and the EAC region, necessitating improved border infrastructure to facilitate movement of people and goods. What: The project will address the infrastructure challenges at the Ntoroko lake port, including: Resurfacing the concrete access road will be to permit all weather usage Resurfacing the concrete turning and parking area Constructing a new jetty comprising of sheet metal pipes with a grid of concrete beams supporting including Construct a concrete deck that is 5.0 metres wide to enable a small pick-up lorry (5 Ton) or a small lorry with an...

Uganda Electronic Single Window Phase II

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Uganda Electronic Single Window Phase II" implementor="Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) – Lead Implementing Agency and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) – Lead Coordinating Agency" target_group="Importers, Exporters, Government Agencies" project_value="USD 4.3 million" implementation_period="2018- 2022" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="https://www.trademarkafrica.com/download/58526/"]Uganda’s international trade business community must regularly prepare and submit large volumes of information and documents to governmental authorities to comply with import, export and transit-related regulatory requirements. Extensive documentation requirements and their associated compliance costs constitute non – tariff barriers (NTBs) and increase the cost of doing business, thus inhibiting the development of intra-regional and international trade. Phase I of the project was completed in May 2018 with 16 agencies transacting on the system: Uganda Revenue Authority; Uganda National Bureau of Standards; Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives; Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries; National Drugs Authority; Uganda Coffee Development Authority; Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development; Dairy Development Authority; Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Warehousing Operators; Clearing Agencies; Airlines (IATA); Uganda Free Zones Authority; Uganda Export Promotion Board and Transporters (licensing of trucks). The implementation of Phase I of the UESW has already yielded benefits, motivating the need for a second phase that will expand the coverage of the UESW. According to World Bank Doing Business Report, 2018, the improvement of Uganda's ranking in the Trading Across Borders indicator from 137 (2017) to 128 (2018) was a direct result of automation of the Certificate of Origin now acquired through UESW. As...

East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP)

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP)" implementor="East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP)" target_group="National ministries responsible for tourism, wildlife, trade and transport portfolios, the EAC Secretariat, East African Business Council and Private Sector Organisations in all EAC Partner states." project_value="599,976 USD" implementation_period="2014 - 2016" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"]The East Africa Community is a leading tourist destination in Sub Sahara Africa. In 2012, tourism in East Africa is reported to have contributed US$12.8bn with the industry’s total contribution to the GDP ranging between 4.8% on the lower level as is the case with Burundi and 13.2% on the higher level for Tanzania. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Eastern Africa Sub-region Office (UNECASRO-EA) in its report “Towards a Sustainable Tourism Industry in Eastern Africa- a Study on the Challenges and Opportunities for Tourism Development” pointed out that “the region does not rank favourably as a competitive destination”. The key reasons given included; the lack of a conducive policy and regulatory framework, uncertainties in the business environment which do little to encourage investment, poor marketing strategies and over-reliance on traditional source markets, ill-equipped or not properly trained human resource, and the cultural resources that could expand the range of tourism products remain unexploited. East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP) is a regional private sector body for tourism in East Africa, set up by TradeMark Africa in 2011 after extensive consultations with tourism stakeholders, to facilitate active and focused engagement of the Private Sector in the East African Community (EAC) Regional Integration process. EATP...

Women and Trade in Africa: Realizing the Potential

Women play a key role in trade in Africa and will be essential to Africa’s success in exploiting its trade potential. Women make a major contribution to trade in most African countries through their involvement in the production of tradable goods as cross-border traders and as managers and owners of firms involved in trade. In many countries in Africa, the majority of small farmers are women, and they produce crops such as maize, cassava, cotton, and rice that have enormous potential for increased trade between African countries and with the global market.2 Women are also involved in providing services across borders, such as education, health, and professional services, including accountancy and legal services. Hundreds of thousands of women cross borders in Africa every day to deliver goods from areas where they are relatively cheap to areas in which they are in shorter supply.

Logistics innovation for Trade (LIFT)

[vc_row][vc_column][custom_inner_menus select_menu="project"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][single_project_block_1 heading="Logistics innovation for Trade (LIFT)" implementor="Nathan Associates London Ltd" target_group="Innovators, Transporters, Cargo owners, Logistics Industry Players" project_value="US$ 14,114,000" implementation_period="1st July 2014 – 30th June 2019" download_btn_text="Download Project PDF" download_btn_link="#url"] Freight and transport costs in East Africa are among the highest in the world, with an estimation of them being at 50% higher per kilometer compared to Europe and the USA. These costs erode the competitiveness of goods exported by East African countries, raise the cost of living and put a brake on development activities in the region. For East African landlocked countries, transport costs can be as high as 75% of the value of exports. In the end, it is the producers or a business that suffers the consequences of high transport costs and inefficiencies. The World Bank estimates that high transit costs reduce growth rates by up to 1% per annum and account for 40% of the higher consumer prices paid across the region of more than 250 million people. The institution also posits that transit times have the most significant effect on exports. Yet, studies further estimate that a reduction of one day in transit times leads to a 7% increase in export Trade is growing up to 8% per annum across the region and economic growth is picking up. However, this growth will be constrained if the transport and logistics sector remains inefficient. Therefore, reducing the cost and time of transport and logistics should be a priority. Streamlining this sector will contribute to increasing trade,...