The recent commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the East African Community (EAC) offered an excellent opportunity to reflect on its achievements, confront persistent challenges, and outline the path forward for advancing regional integration. A notable focus of the celebration was the role of digital innovation in addressing cross-border payment inefficiencies, with technologies such as artificial intelligence, mobile money, and digital currencies emerging as critical enablers. Coinciding with this milestone, the Africa Trade Development Forum (ATDF) was held in Kigali, Rwanda, from 2 to 3 December 2024. Co- organised by the Government of Rwanda and TradeMark Africa (TMA), the forum brought global trade leaders, policy makers, private sector representatives, researchers, and innovators to reimagine the transformative potential of digital solutions in redefining trade. Both events emphasised the need for actionable strategies to strengthen intra-regional trade through enhanced collaboration. Regional cooperation emerged as a key driver of economic growth, with the EAC commended for its leadership in promoting intra-African trade. Since 2010, TMA has worked to reduce trade barriers and modernise trade systems within the EAC. Its collaboration with the EAC has delivered 15 One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), reducing transit times by 16.5% along the Northern Corridor from Mombasa to Bujumbura and cutting crossing times by up to 70% at key border points. These improvements have significantly enhanced regional connectivity and efficiency. Digital transformation has been central to TMA’s approach, with initiatives such as the Single Customs Territory introducing electronic cargo tracking system, digital certificates of origin, and customs modernisation. The...

Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition, and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA), in partnership with TradeMark Africa and the International Trade Centre (ITC), has concluded a four-day training for horticultural producers under the Value-added Initiative to Boost Employment (VIBE). This marks a significant step toward enhancing the capacity of Rwandan horticultural producers to access global markets. The training, held from November 18–21, 2024, brought together 30 small and medium- sized horticultural enterprises from across the fruit and vegetable value chains, including producers, farmer cooperatives, exporters, and the Rwanda Horticulture Exporters Association.   The training focused on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), with particular emphasis on pesticide use and compliance with Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). Participants gained practical insights into pesticide application, pest management, record-keeping, and the implications of non-compliance with specified standards. Such violations can significantly impact international market access and pose public health risks. To reinforce and sustain best practices, the enterprises will receive an additional month of post-training coaching to ensure alignment with global standards in pest and disease control. These engagements align with VIBE’s overarching goals of enhancing access to lucrative export markets for Rwanda’s horticultural products, reducing rejection rates, increasing sales, and creating decent and fulfilling jobs. The five-year program, implemented in Rwanda by TradeMark Africa and the International Trade Center (ITC) in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, is designed to facilitate the creation of dignified job opportunities, particularly for women, youth, refugees, and persons with disabilities in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) within the horticulture, poultry, meat, and dairy value...

TradeMark Africa (TMA), on 23 October 2024, hosted a delegation from South Sudan to discuss priorities for enhancing cooperation in various areas of trade facilitation to reduce trade bottlenecks in South Sudan and neighbouring countries in the East African Community. The meeting brought together officials from South Sudan’s Ministry of East African Community Affairs (MEACA), South Sudan National Revenue Authority (SSNRA), South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS), Ministry of Transport and Roads, and the National Cross-border Women Traders Association (NCBWTA). Led by Beny Gideon Mabor, Undersecretary General at MEACA, and TMA CEO David Beer, the two delegations explored opportunities for deeper collaboration, including:  Re-establishing a National Oversight Committee (NOC) to strengthen coordination and oversight of trade facilitation initiatives supported by TMA. Prioritising completion and full operationalisation of the Nimule One Stop Border Post (OSBP) to improve cross-border trade and customs clearance efficiency. Phase 1, which included construction of the truck parking yard and inspection shed, was completed in  2020. Phase 2 works, which would see construction of staff quarters and administration buildings, are pending. Enhancing Standards, Sanitary, and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures to ease compliance with regional standards and boost access to markets for products made in the region. Addressing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to reduce trade costs and improve the flow of goods along the Elegu-Nimule-Juba Corridor, the wider northern corridor, and in the EAC region.  Strengthening institutional capacity for South Sudan's National Bureau of Standards and the private sector in addressing technical barriers to trade. Enabling women traders by...

In collaboration with the Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition, and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA), TradeMark Africa (TMA) has kicked off a six-month training for meat inspectors to enhance compliance with quality standards, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures in Rwanda’s meat value chain. A first of its kind in Rwanda, the training will focus on strengthening of food safety standards and ensuring market access for both domestic and export meat products. Forty private meat inspectors are taking part in the training sessions, as part of the implementation of the Value-added Initiative to Boost Employment (VIBE). “The training is an important step towards strengthening the skills of private meat inspectors and enhance the level of compliance with the prescribed industry standards for a safer, more competitive and profitable meat value chain,” said Doreca Musenga, VIBE Program Manager at TradeMark Africa. The participants will undergo an intensive hands-on training on all aspects of meat inspection for the first month, and thereafter immerse themselves for practical experience at local abattoirs for five months. The training programme will feature on-going assessments and coaching sessions to ensure that participants gain the necessary skills and knowledge for meat inspection. This exercise will not only enhance compliance with both domestic and international standards but also create job opportunities, especially for young people, within the meat industry value chain.VIBE, which is spearheading the training, is jointly implemented by TMA, the International Trade Centre (ITC), in partnership with Mastercard Foundation. Implemented in Rwanda, the programme will enable creation of dignified job...

L'industrie kenyane de la mangue a subi d'importants revers en raison de l'invasion de la mouche des fruits (Bactrocera dorsalis), qui a conduit à de nombreuses interceptions de cargaisons de mangues par l'Union européenne (UE). Pour relever ce défi et préserver les possibilités d'exportation du pays, des traitements post-récolte innovants tels que l'utilisation de la technique de traitement à l'eau chaude (HWT) sont à l'étude. Avec le soutien du programme de renforcement de l'environnement des entreprises et des exportations (EU-BEEEP) financé par l'UE, une délégation de TradeMark Africa (TMA) a récemment visité la Direction des cultures horticoles (HCD) à l'aéroport international Jomo Kenyatta (JKIA) de Nairobi pour évaluer la faisabilité de l'installation d'un équipement de traitement à l'eau chaude. Plus tard, l'équipe a eu l'occasion d'observer un prototype de l'équipement au Centre international de physiologie et d'écologie des insectes (icipe), une institution de recherche scientifique réputée pour ses technologies et pratiques innovantes en matière de lutte contre les ravageurs. Le traitement des eaux usées est une méthode éprouvée pour éliminer les parasites de quarantaine tels que les mouches des fruits, tout en préservant la qualité et la durée de conservation des mangues. En investissant dans les technologies de traitement des eaux usées, les exportateurs kenyans seront mieux préparés à répondre aux normes phytosanitaires strictes exigées par les principaux marchés tels que l'Union européenne, les États-Unis et le Japon. Cet investissement permettra non seulement aux exportateurs d'éviter des rejets coûteux aux frontières, mais aussi d'améliorer leur compétitivité sur le marché mondial....

Le programme national de TradeMark Africa (TMA) en Côte d'Ivoire a tenu sa réunion inaugurale du Comité national de Surveillance (CNS) le 20 septembre 2024, suite à la récente signature d'un protocole d'accord avec le ministère du Commerce. Le CNS fait partie de la structure de gouvernance de TMA et est présidé par un haut fonctionnaire d'un ministère. Il est chargé de fournir des conseils stratégiques sur la programmation qui répond aux objectifs nationaux, d'examiner les propositions de projets et les plans d'affaires liés aux programmes qu'il supervise et peut recommander au conseil d'administration de les approuver. Le comité examine également les progrès de la mise en œuvre et résout les problèmes. Ses membres comprennent des représentants des ministères et départements gouvernementaux concernés, des organes faîtiers du secteur privé, des organisations de la société civile et des partenaires du développement. Au cours de la réunion, les participants ont noté que le lancement de la programmation de TMA en Côte d'Ivoire était opportun et essentiel pour faire progresser la facilitation du commerce dans le pays et dans toute l'Afrique de l'Ouest. La séance d'ouverture de la série de rencontres de la journée, y compris la réunion du CNS, a été présidée par Patrick Olivier Daipo, chef de cabinet adjoint, qui représentait le ministre ivoirien du commerce et de l'industrie, Souleymane Diarrassouba. La réunion du CNS était présidée par Kalilou Sylla, directeur général du commerce extérieur au ministère. "Ce Comité National de Surveillance jouera un rôle essentiel dans le suivi et la...

TradeMark Africa (TMA)'s Côte d’Ivoire Country Programme held its inaugural National Oversight Committee (NOC) meeting on September 20, 2024, following the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Trade. The NOC is part of TMA’s governance structure and is chaired by a high-level official within a Government Ministry. It is mandated to provide strategic advice on programming that is responsive to national objectives, review project proposals and business plans related to the programmes they are overseeing and may recommend that the Board approves them. The committee also reviews implementation progress and resolves challenges. Its members include representatives from relevant government ministries and departments, private sector apex bodies, civil society organisations and development partners. During the meeting, participants noted that the launch of TMA’s programming in Côte d’Ivoire was timely and critical for advancing trade facilitation in the country and across West Africa. The opening session of the series of the engagements of the day, including the NOC meeting, was presided over by Patrick Olivier Daipo, Deputy Chief of Staff, representing Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Souleymane Diarrassouba. The NOC meeting was chaired by Kalilou Sylla, Director General of Foreign Trade at the Ministry. “This National Oversight Committee will play a vital role in monitoring and coordinating various trade facilitation activities in Côte d’Ivoire to ensure the desired results of the interventions are achieved,” Mr Sylla noted. “Stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as civil society, agreed to design and implement...

Kenya’s mango industry has faced significant setbacks due to the invasive fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis), which has led to numerous interceptions of mango shipments by the European Union (EU). To address this challenge and safeguard the country’s export opportunities, innovative post-harvest treatments such as the utilisation of hot water treatment (HWT) technique are being explored. A delegation from TradeMark Africa (TMA) recently visited the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD) at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi to assess the feasibility of installing HWT equipment. Later, the team had an opportunity to observe a prototype of the equipment at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), a renowned scientific research institution for innovative pest management technologies and practices. HWT is a proven method for eliminating quarantine pests such as fruit flies, while preserving the quality and shelf life of mangoes. By investing in HWT technologies, Kenyan exporters will be better prepared to meet the stringent phytosanitary standards required by major markets such as the European Union, United States, and Japan. This HWT will not only help exporters avoid costly rejections at borders but also improve their competitiveness in the global market. Moreover, it will have a positive ripple effect on smallholder farmers, boosting their incomes and livelihoods through increased export opportunities. As Kenya continues to explore new avenues to expand its agricultural exports, HWT presents a viable and sustainable solution for the mango industry.

Nairobi, Kenya, 06 septembre 2024 : TradeMark Africa (TMA) annonce la nomination de S.E. Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, ancien Premier ministre de l'Éthiopie, en sa qualité de nouveau président du conseil d'administration. S.E. Desalegn succède à l'Ambassadeur Erastus Mwencha, qui vient de conclure son mandat,  et rejoint TMA à un moment où l'organisation s'est fixé des objectifs ambitieux, notamment stimuler les exportations africaines, soutenir la mise en œuvre de la Zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (AfCFTA) et étendre sa portée opérationnelle de l'Afrique orientale à l'Afrique occidentale et australe, en travaillant en étroite collaboration avec les communautés économiques régionales, les institutions nationales, le secteur privé et les partenaires internationaux. En tant que dirigeant politique de haut niveau ayant une expérience à la fois nationale et continentale, l'expertise et l'expérience de S.E. Desalegn seront essentielles pour guider TMA tout au long de sa nouvelle stratégie de sept ans. La stratégie 2023-2030 se concentre sur la poursuite de la réduction du temps et du coût du transport des marchandises à travers les frontières et sur l'amélioration de l'accès au marché pour les PME en améliorant la valeur et la qualité des marchandises échangées, tout en relevant les défis liés au commerce de l'avenir pour le continent. Il s'agit notamment de faire de l'Afrique un pionnier mondial du commerce vert, de tirer parti des capitaux commerciaux pour multiplier les investissements dans les infrastructures commerciales et de veiller à ce que les bénéfices du commerce profitent aux plus pauvres, en particulier aux femmes et aux...

Nairobi, Kenya, 05 September 2024: TradeMark Africa (TMA) announces the appointment of H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, as its new Board Chair. H.E. Desalegn is succeeding Ambassador Erastus Mwencha, who has concluded his eight-year term, and joins TMA at a time when the organisation has set its sights on ambitious goals including boosting African exports, supporting implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and expanding its operational reach from Eastern to West and Southern Africa, working closely with Regional Economic Communities, national institutions, the private sector and international partners. As a senior political leader with experience on both national and continental stages, H.E. Desalegn’s expertise and experience will be central to guiding TMA through its new seven-year strategy. The 2023-2030 strategy focuses on continuing to reduce the time and cost of transporting goods across borders and improving market access for SMEs by improving the value and quality of traded goods, while addressing the trade-related challenges of the future for the continent. This includes positioning Africa as a global pioneer in green trade, leveraging commercial capital for greater multiples of investment in trade infrastructure, and ensuring that trade benefits accrue to the poorest, in particular women and youth. H.E Desalegn’s tenure as Prime Minister of Ethiopia from 2012 to 2018 was marked by a visionary approach to economic and diplomatic engagements, under which Ethiopia saw sustained double-digit economic growth.  His experience in fostering trade agreements and promoting economic integration during his tenure as Chair of...