THE Organistaion of Women in International Trade (OWIT) Zimbabwe Chapter has called on women-led businesses to be more innovative, efficient and produce products that are of good quality so as to be competitive under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). AfCFTA is an ambitious undertaking that brings together 1,3 billion people in 55 African countries to create the world’s largest free trade area as measured by the number of participating member States. Its objective is the creation of an integrated market for the trade in goods and services and the free movement of people and capital. OWIT Zimbabwe Chapter in partnership with Ecobank Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Women Affairs Community Small to Medium Enterprises Development on Friday hosted the second edition of the Open Market Day and Exhibition for Women Entrepreneurs on Friday in Bulawayo. The second edition of the event which ran under the theme: “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress” comes after successfully hosting the first one in October last year in Harare. In an interview on the sidelines of the event, OWIT Zimbabwe Chapter president and founder of House of Organic Foods, Ms Buhlebenkosi Nyathi said they were all about creating access to international markets, value chain and finance for women. “That is why we have decided to have the second edition in Bulawayo where participants got a chance to network with other business people and hear about all the great initiatives that the Ministry, we as OWIT and Ecobank have in store for them. “Women-led...

Unsuspecting maize meal consumers could be exposed to high-levels of aflatoxin in maize imports trickling in from Uganda, the United Grain Millers Association has warned. Aflatoxin, a poison produced by fungi in cereal crops including maize, peanuts, cottonseed and tree nuts could cause fatal poisoning and an increased risk of cancer. United Grain Millers Association Chairman Kennedy Nyaga says that the millers have flagged hundreds of bags of maize consignment from Busia border entry point, with aflatoxins above recommended levels, impugning their business. “We have had to turn away Ugandan maize on account of being contaminated with aflatoxins. Nevertheless, locally sourced stock is well dried, but we are worried that after we reject this Ugandan stock, it will still end up in the local market,” Nyagah told Citizen Digital. The association has maintained that its members will not be milling the Ugandan maize, even as the supply, for the first time, outstrips demand on good weather and bumper harvest in the current season, but cautions this might shift. “Our aflatoxin testing machines have picked worrying trends in the Uganda cereals to a tune of over 200 parts per billion, as opposed to the recommended ten to twenty parts per billion in the Comesa region,” he adds, pointing to laxity by regulators to scrutinise imports. This even as in February this year, the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) received two high-end decontamination plants valued at Ksh.190 million to help clear aflatoxins in maize. One of the plants is stationed in...

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced during the State visit of the President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embaló, the giant strides being made by Ghanaian products under the Guide Trade Initiative of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Following the maiden rollout of the Guided Trade Initiative, President Akufo-Addo said, over 700 AfCFTA self-defined products from Ghana such as cosmetics, processed foods, coconut oil, Shea butter and garments, have been rolled out and targeted by the AfCFTA market under the Guided Trade Initiative which was launched in October 2022. Speaking at a Joint Press conference at the close of bilateral engagements with President Embaló and his Ministerial team from Guinea Bissau who are on State visit to Ghana, President Akufo-Addo said such transformative showing, “will give us the best opportunity to derive maximum benefit from our abundant natural resources and from our participation in the AfCFTA, and help bring progress and prosperity to our people” He was confident that, the participation of Ghana, and seven other countries in the GTI of the AfCFTA will stimulate intra-Africa trade, amplify the competitive advantage of participating countries and solidify their status within the global market. He added that the GTI has already enabled Ghana for instance, to make significant inroads into the East African market, notably to Kenya and Tanzania. The Guided Trade Initiative seeks to allow commercial meaningful trading and test the operational, institutional, legal and trade policy environment under the AfCFTA which aims to consolidate a market of about...

What you need to know: One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) were established in key border areas of the EAC partner states to enhance trade facilitation. However, about a decade after being launched, there is a feeling that some of the OSBPs have yet to fully serve the purpose they were set for. The performance of unified border operations within the East African Community (EAC) bloc will be reviewed. A team of officials from the EAC secretariat is on their way to the selected posts to review their performance. One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) were established in key border areas of the EAC partner states to enhance trade facilitation. They are also intended to improve cross-border procedures, specifically the unobstructed movement of people. However, about a decade after being launched, there is a feeling that some of the OSBPs have yet to fully serve the purpose they were set for. A statement issued by the EAC secretariat said the high-level mission to the border posts will begin on Tuesday next week. Four of the selected posts are on the borderline of Tanzania with its close neighbours: Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. They are Mutukula on the Tanzania/Uganda border, Rusumo (Tanzania/Rwanda), Kobero/Kabanga (Tanzania/Burundi), and Namanga, a busy town on Tanzania’s border with Kenya. The border sensitization mission starts on April 9th at Nimule/Elegu, a border crossing between Uganda and South Sudan and ends on April 19th at Namanga. “The mission is aimed at reviewing the performance of the unified border posts in fostering trade...

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has emphasized the importance of attracting investment in various sectors to drive economic growth across Africa. Speaking at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Investment Forum 2024 in Togo, Okonjo-Iweala highlighted key areas where investment could make a significant impact. One of the primary areas of focus urged by Okonjo-Iweala is energy development, emphasizing the need for investment in renewable energy to meet the continent’s growing energy demands sustainably. Additionally, she stressed the importance of creating opportunities for youth employment through agriculture, leveraging innovative financing mechanisms and regulatory frameworks to bridge Africa’s persistent infrastructure deficit. Despite challenges stemming from the global pandemic, Okonjo-Iweala believes that regional integration, particularly through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), presents significant opportunities for attracting investments. She emphasized the importance of reducing commercial costs within the ECOWAS region and enhancing physical and digital infrastructure to facilitate trade and economic development. Echoing Okonjo-Iweala’s sentiments, Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President at African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), highlighted the critical role of infrastructure development in driving economic growth. Awani emphasized the need for sustainable financing mechanisms and regulatory frameworks to address Africa’s infrastructure deficit, citing Afreximbank’s ongoing infrastructure projects across the continent. Mabouba Diagne, Vice President in charge of finance and institutional services at ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, emphasized the urgency of focusing on agricultural production and processing. Diagne stressed the importance of establishing a circular economy and leveraging financial institutions to...

Les exportations horticoles du Kenya vers les marchés clés du Royaume-Uni et des Pays-Bas pourraient tripler si le pays mise sur la logistique du fret maritime en partenariat avec les deux pays. Le pays a signé un accord avec les deux marchés pour développer un corridor de logistique froide pour les produits kenyans. Ces accords faciliteront les investissements privés dans les infrastructures de logistique réfrigérée afin de soutenir le transport de produits frais par voie maritime. Ils porteront sur des aspects logistiques tels que les installations portuaires, les réseaux de transport et les cadres réglementaires. Le secrétaire du cabinet chargé des transports, Kipchumba Murkomen, a déclaré que le corridor de logistique froide visait à établir de nouvelles normes pour le transport de produits frais et, par conséquent, à stimuler le commerce bilatéral et à développer le secteur agricole kényan. "Un système logistique de fret maritime performant pour les denrées périssables pourrait doubler, voire tripler les exportations horticoles du Kenya, ce qui pourrait créer jusqu'à trois millions d'emplois dans les secteurs de l'horticulture et de l'agro-logistique", a déclaré le ministre des affaires étrangères lors de la signature de l'accord avec l'ambassadeur des Pays-Bas au Kenya, Maarten Brouwer. Cet accord intervient alors que le Kenya et l'UE s'apprêtent à ratifier un accord de partenariat économique approuvé par le Parlement européen au début du mois. L'UE est le deuxième partenaire commercial du Kenya et l'un de ses principaux marchés d'exportation, après l'Afrique. Près de la moitié des exportations de produits frais du Kenya,...

L'Éthiopie étudie la possibilité d'utiliser le port de Lamu pour importer des engrais dans le cadre d'un effort visant à étendre ses destinations portuaires au-delà de Djibouti, pays qui traite la majeure partie de son fret. Bien que l'idée d'utiliser le port de Lamu ait été proposée il y a plusieurs années, elle n'a pas été utilisée jusqu'à présent. Une délégation éthiopienne a effectué une mission d'enquête sur les ports de Lamu et de Mombasa et a bon espoir de parvenir à un accord avec le Kenya. Le ministre d'État du ministère des transports et de la logistique, Denge Boru, a déclaré : "La délégation a visité le port et l'état des routes jusqu'à Moyale, afin de déterminer si elles sont adaptées à l'opération." Pour assurer une opération sans faille, divers documents et accords entre les deux pays devront être complétés avant que le service ne soit lancé via Lamu. En raison des problèmes de sécurité en mer Rouge, le fret éthiopien est désormais acheminé via Mombasa, malgré les obstacles qui le séparent de Djibouti. Le catalyseur de ce changement provient des retards subis par les cargaisons entrantes et sortantes dans les ports de Djibouti, attribués au fait que les opérateurs de navires ont réduit leurs opérations le long de la route de la mer Rouge. Selon la proposition, le gouvernement a l'intention d'utiliser le port de Berbera au Somaliland comme substitut pour les importations de marchandises, principalement pour l'est et le sud-est du pays. À ce jour, le port...

Le Ghana et le Kenya, deux des économies émergentes de l'Afrique, ont fait des pas de géant pour consolider leurs relations commerciales alors qu'ils cherchent à mener la renaissance économique de l'Afrique. La coopération commerciale bilatérale, initiée à l'initiative du président ghanéen Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, s'inscrit dans le cadre et les objectifs de l'accord sur la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (AfCFTA). "Ce qui se fait ici est essentiel pour notre continent et pour la prospérité future de notre peuple", a déclaré le président, alors qu'il était rejoint par le président kenyan en visite, William Ruto, lors de la signature de plusieurs accords entre les deux pays, à l'occasion d'une cérémonie à Accra. Les protocoles d'accord ont été paraphés par le Centre de promotion des investissements du Ghana et l'Autorité kényane des investissements, l'Association des industries du Ghana et l'Association des fabricants du Kenya. Les autres parties sont la Chambre nationale de commerce et d'industrie du Ghana et la Chambre nationale de commerce et d'industrie du Kenya, ainsi que l'Institut ghanéen de gestion et d'administration publique. Le président Nana Akufo-Addo a déclaré que la communauté des affaires avait la responsabilité d'accroître le commerce intra-africain, en tirant parti des possibilités offertes par l'AfCFTA, des ressources financières du continent et des progrès technologiques. "Votre capacité à saisir les opportunités déterminera si nous allons de l'avant ou non, et si l'éradication de la pauvreté dans notre génération est possible en Afrique", a-t-il souligné. Le président Ruto, qui effectue une visite d'État au...

Le Conseil des céréales d'Afrique de l'Est (EAGC) et TradeMark Africa (TMA) ont lancé conjointement une initiative de trois ans intitulée "Renforcer la compétitivité des chaînes de valeur des aliments de base axés sur l'exportation en Afrique de l'Est". Cette initiative, qui fait partie du programme "Economic Reform and Recovery Activity (ERRA)" financé par l'USAID, a été lancée le 3 avril à Nairobi. Le projet vise à renforcer le commerce des céréales de base orienté vers l'exportation et sera mis en œuvre au Kenya, en Tanzanie et en Ouganda. Le Kenya est désigné comme marché de destination, tandis que la Tanzanie et l'Ouganda, qui bénéficient d'une production excédentaire, serviront de fournisseurs clés. Dans un contexte de volatilité et de déclin du commerce des denrées alimentaires, le projet s'attaquera à divers problèmes, notamment l'agrégation inadéquate, les pratiques commerciales informelles et l'intégration insuffisante des agriculteurs dans les circuits commerciaux officiels. Des problèmes tels que des installations de stockage inadéquates, une infrastructure de gestion de la qualité médiocre et un manque d'expertise en matière de traitement post-récolte aggravent la situation. En outre, il y a un manque d'informations sur les perspectives des marchés d'exportation, un accès limité aux services de gestion de la qualité et un financement inadéquat pour le développement du commerce et des infrastructures. Avec la participation de plus de soixante acteurs de la chaîne de valeur des céréales de base, le projet vise à atteindre de multiples objectifs. Le premier objectif est de renforcer les centres d'affaires céréaliers (G-Hubs) gérés...

Two of Africa’s emerging economies – Ghana and Kenya – have taken giant steps to consolidate trade relations as they seek to lead Africa’s economic renaissance. The bilateral trade cooperation, initiated at the instance of Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is being worked out within the purview and objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. “What is being done in this room today is critical for our continent and the future prosperity of our people,” the President said, as he was joined by visiting Kenyan President William Ruto to witness the signing of multiple pacts between the two countries, at a ceremony in Accra. The Memoranda of Understanding were initialed by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and the Kenyan Investment Authority, Association of Ghana Industries and Kenya Association of Manufacturers. The rest are the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration. President Nana Akufo-Addo said the business community had a responsibility to increase intra-African trade, leveraging the opportunities within AfCFTA, the continent’s financial resources and technological advancement. “Your ability to seize the opportunities that will determine whether or not we go forward, and that will determine whether or not the eradication of poverty in our generation is made possible in Africa,” he emphasised. The President assured that the leadership of the continent was focused on providing the requisite space and framework for African businesses to thrive. “We...