NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 12- The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has launched a new COVID-19 cross-border trade report urging governments on the continent to adopt and harmonize policies that will help continent strike an appropriate balance between curbing the spread of the virus and facilitating emergency and essential trade. Titled Facilitating cross-border trade through a coordinated African response to COVID-19, the report says continued inefficiencies and disruptions to cross-border trade presented significant challenges for Africa’s fight against COVID-19, and risked holding back the continent’s progress towards the attainment of the sustainable development and goals and Africa’s Agenda 2063. Maintaining trade flows as much as possible during the pandemic will be crucial in providing access to essential food and much-needed medical items and in limiting negative impacts on jobs and poverty, said Stephen Karingi, Director of the ECA’s Regional Integration and Trade Division (RITD) that penned the report. To curtail the rapid spread of the virus, African nations introduced lockdowns and various restrictions that negatively affected cross-border and transit freight transportation. The border restrictions and regulations have helped minimize infections and deaths across the continent but had a negative impact on cross-border trade and economic activity, hindering both significantly. The report recommends that African nations should cooperate and harmonize COVID-19 border regulations to reduce delays, while not undermining the safety of trade. It proposes fast tracking implementation of existing Regional Economic Community (REC) COVID-19 guidelines, including establishing regional coordinating committees with the primary task of addressing operational issues at national borders....

Exporters should embrace virtual trade meetings and online sales to navigate travel challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency CEO Dr. Wilfred Marube says the agency is seeking to upgrade its ICT infrastructure, in a bid to create virtual platforms that will help mor Kenyans to participate in international exhibitions. KEPROBA is hosting 10 women exporters to a Virtual Macfrut Digital 2020 annual Trade Fair. The trade fair that is in its 37th edition was to be held in Italy in May this year but was cancelled after the COVID-19 ravaged the West Europe nation. However, the event was transferred to an online platform, where Kenya is seeking to expand its fresh produce shipments to Europe. The export and branding agency plans to create multiple platforms especially those that target women exporters. Kenya’s exports to Europe are valued at about 150 billion shillings accounting for 25.4 percent the total export value, a figure that the agency says could be increased by leveraging e-commerce and virtual trade meetings. Macfrut Trade Fair, brings together global stakeholders including exporters, importers, technicians, experts and investors in value addition, showcasing current emerging business opportunities in the fruit and vegetable sectors. Read original article

Summary Trade is a force for good. So, when we see the trend towards protectionism, we should all worry. The world is at a crossroads, on matters trade. Everywhere, more measures are being taken to ‘protect’ domestic economies from ‘unfair’ competition. And these is often playing well with domestic audiences, encouraging those in charge to double down and do more of the same. If you doubt this, here’s a startling fact: In 2009, following the financial crisis, only 0.7 per cent of imports into G20 countries faced new restrictive measures, a figure which by 2019 had risen to 10.3 per cent. In short, some of the world’s richest countries are raising barriers to markets access for some of the poorest. Trade is a force for good. If you doubt this, ask any South Korean of a certain age, working women in Bangladesh, someone now in their 50s in many parts of China, many living in states that were part of the former Soviet Union, across swathes of Latin America, and in parts of north, east, west and southern Africa and many other parts of the globe. So, when we see the trend towards protectionism, we should all worry. There are still billions of people in the global South as yet left untouched by the benefits of the ability to trade more widely than their own domestic markets, and billions more who have taken steps along the trading path whose progress is threatened. Of course trade is not a panacea, far...

The East Africa Community (EAC) Secretariat and its Partner States have rolled out a Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTS) in a virtual event held Tuesday. RECDTS is designed as a mobile phone application and will enable the issuance of the EAC COVID-19 digital certificates that are mutually recognised by Partner States, thus eliminating need for multiple testing as well as contributing to alleviating ongoing congestion at East Africa border crossing points. The RECDTS App is designed to stop Corona in its tracks along EAC key transport corridors. The roll out was witnessed by the EU Ambassador to Kenya H.E Simon Mordue and the Ministries of Health in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda and the Ministries of East Africa Community in the Partner states. RECDTS provides a surveillance system to monitor long distance truckers crew health and enable contact tracing. It allows partner states to electronically share truck drivers’ COVID-19 test results; therefore, minimising need for multiple COVID-19 tests in a single trip. The reliance on manual certificates and delayed test results at the borders has been reported as one of the main reasons for costly long delays at border points, such as those witnessed in Busia, Malaba, Nimule and Elegu. Some of the delays have caused tail backs of trucks measuring tens of kilometres in some cases. Also Read  WHO ramps up COVID-19 support to hotspot countries in Africa The EAC developed the app with funding from European Union, Global Affairs Canada, Danida, Finland, Netherlands and United Kingdom through...

The RECDTS App is designed to stop Corona in its tracks along EAC key transport corridors The East Africa Community (EAC) Secretariat and its Partner States today held a virtual roll out event to mark the technical completion and development of the Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTS). RECDTS is designed as a mobile phone application and will enable the issuance of the EAC COVID-19 digital certificates that are mutually recognised by Partner States, thus eliminating need for multiple testing as well as contributing to alleviating ongoing congestion at East Africa border crossing points. The roll out was witnessed by the Chair of the EAC Council of Minister, Hon Prof Nshuti Manasseh,  Ministers of Health from Kenya and Uganda as well as the EU Ambassador to Kenya, H.E Simon Mordue. RECDTS provides a surveillance system to monitor long distance truckers crew health and enables contact tracing. It allows Partner States to electronically share truck drivers’ COVID-19 test results; therefore, minimising need for multiple COVID-19 tests in a single trip. The reliance on manual certificates and delayed test results at the borders has been reported as one of the main reasons of long delays at border points, such as those witnessed in Busia, Malaba, Nimule and Elegu. Some of the delays have caused tail backs of trucks measuring tens of kilometres in some cases. The development of EAC the app with funding from European Union, Global Affairs Canada, Danida, Finland, Netherlands and United Kingdom through TradeMark Africa was in accordance with...

The launch of a regional electronic cargo and driver tracking system which had been slated to take place mid last month and later postponed was launched virtually on Tuesday, September 8. It is one of the measures introduced by the East African Community to prevent further spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) infections in the region. The virtual rollout of the East Africa Community Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTS) was broadcast live from the Malaba-Malaba border crossing point between Uganda and Kenya and the Mirama Hills-Kagitumba border crossing point between Uganda and Rwanda. During the event, officials linked and transmitted a real-time demonstration of driver registration and verification of EAC digital certificate at the borders. The system will issue jointly recognised EAC Covid-19 digital certificates, which will improve efficiency in regional freight transport, by avoiding multi testing for drivers at all points of entry. Despite the borders being closed to human traffic in most regional countries, cargo transport has remained in operation, but drivers are subjected to multiple tests at borders which leads to delays. The EAC developed the App with funding from the European Union, Global Affairs Canada, Danida, Finland, Netherlands and the United Kingdom through TradeMark Africa and in accordance with the mandate given by a joint ministerial meeting of EAC ministers responsible for Health and EAC Affairs. The App provides a surveillance system to monitor the health of long-distance truck crew members and enable contact tracing. It allows partner states to electronically share truck drivers’...

The launch of the new Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) last week provides an excellent opportunity to reset the UK’s economic engagement with low- and middle-income countries. As the new department takes shape, it is crucial to consider the stated benefits of bringing development and diplomacy together through this merger of the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). One area in which the benefits could be large and visible is economic development, but so far there has been little attention to the role of the FCDO as an economics ministry. This is perhaps surprising: DFID is rightly proud of its recent experience in managing economic development programmes such as Trademark East Africa and Nepal’s Economic Policy Incubator. A new set of essays, published last week by ODI, considers 10 ways the experience of the FCO and DFID could underpin economic policy in the FCDO. Ten new opportunities for the FCDO The essays offer 10 economic development proposals for an imaginative new approach to capitalise on mutual interest and help achieve development goals. They are: 1. Publish a coherent UK–Africa strategy This must help to reinvigorate UK-Africa trade and investment relationships following a decade of stagnation, during which time Africa has stepped up engagement with other parts of the world. Leaving the EU means the UK needs to consider new trading arrangements with African countries, which are set to integrate through the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The UK-Africa Investment Summit in January also needs follow up. It is time for an ambitious Africa strategy. 2....

No cruise ships are docking at the port of Mombasa but the business has continued uninterrupted with cargo ships delivering goods from across the globe. The business at East Africa’s largest port is further buoyed by the resumption of flights and increased demand for jet fuel, after a six months suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We’re now importing jet fuel, we’re seeing a little bit of growth on that side. In terms of bulk cargo and general cargo, it’s okay, we have not seen much drop, maybe 3 percent,” Captain William Ruto, the General Manager harbor operations master said. According to Ruto, there is a steady rise in operations as compared to the last three months where general cargo and petroleum products slumped slightly. “In terms of bulk cargo, that’s general cargo, we were not hit that much. The decline was less than 3 percent. In terms of container vessels calling, we had few blank sailings, that’s ships not calling on schedule which I can say on average from 2020 Feb. to Aug. we had about 6-8 percent.” Data from the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) shows the Mombasa port’s overall throughput was 34.44 million tonnes in 2019 compared to 30.92 million the previous year, marking a growth of 11.4 percent. Total transit throughput also posted a growth of 3.6 percent to 9.95 million tonnes in the same year. Captain Ruto however submitted that during the six months of the pandemic, those results were slightly affected. Mombasa’s port is crucial to serving landlocked countries including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Figures...

...Lauds JPM for keeping economy open amid Covid-19 THE East African Business Council (EABC) has called for a deeper collaboration between the Public and Private sectors to boost East African Community (EAC) intra-trade. Also, the council has lauded President John Magufuli for a job well done, especially in spearheading major economic reforms in the country. Amid the global economic disruptions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, EAC private sector wants to steer better relations as a strategy to boost trade and investment in the region. The leaders noted that the decision by President Magufuli to keep the economy open, offered the private sector a major relief in terms of business resilience as it also strengthened local supply chains. EABC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Peter Mathuki said that is the spirit for the region - both public and private sector to move forward and business to prosper. It came about after consultations of CEOs at a roundtable meeting organized by the EABC in collaboration with German Development Agency (GIZ) with a theme 'Creating Perspectives Project', convening companies' CEOs with an aim of deliberating on approaches that the private sector can explore to revamp businesses amid the pandemic. Tanzania took absolutely a different approach in dealing with Covid-19, by President Magufuli who seeks a second term in office led the nation in style, by ruling out lockdown, letting business go on but with taking reasonable protective measures and it paid handsomely. In spite of the situation in the bloc, Africa and world...

In Summary Traders from both sides of the border cross over to buy and sell grains and fruits, defying Covid-19 restrictions. Many Ugandans trading in Malaba said Kenya is their primary market and they have no option but make the short trip across. Small-scale grocery and fruit traders from Kenya and Uganda have returned to business in Malaba despite a ban on cross-border movement. Traders from both sides of the border cross over to buy and sell grains and fruits, defying Covid-19 restrictions to make ends meet. Many Ugandans trading in Malaba said Kenya is their primary market and they have no option but make the short trip across. Richard Maasai, a Ugandan a wholesaler of ripe bananas in Malaba, Kenya said business has been badly hit by the border closure. “Since the border was shut, we have not been selling our stock. We have been forced to cross the border because we need money. Taking care of our families has been difficult.” Maasai said local prices for the fruit have skyrocketed due to restrictions on the Ugandan side of the border. He buys the bananas from Mbale in eastern Uganda and ferries them using friendly cargo truck drivers. Maasai sends the money to drivers to bring the goods. Once delivered, he crosses the border into Kenya where he sells during the day and returns home to Uganda in the evening. “We are appealing to the Kenyan and Ugandan governments to reopen the border. Our businesses are dying. We will...