Addis Ababa, Ethiopie, le 15 mars 2024: Le gouvernement des États-Unis, par le biais du programme ERRA (Economic Recovery and Reform Activity) de l'USAID mis en œuvre par TradeMark Africa (TMA), avec un financement de "Feed the Future", a engagé 550 000 dollars pour le développement et la mise en œuvre d'un système intégré de gestion de flotte (iFMS). Dirigé par Smartwatch Solutions Ltd et supervisé par le ministère éthiopien des transports et de la logistique, ce projet permettra de rationaliser les opérations de la flotte le long du corridor éthio-djiboutien. Le projet a débuté aujourd'hui par une cérémonie de signature à l'hôtel Skylight. En 2023, l'USAID a accordé à TradeMark Africa (TMA) 2 millions de dollars pour améliorer la sécurité alimentaire par le biais du commerce agricole le long du corridor Ethio-Djibouti. La logistique est au cœur de ces efforts. Chaque camion qui se rend à Djibouti est déjà équipé d'un dispositif de suivi, conformément à la réglementation gouvernementale. Cette nouvelle activité garantit que chaque camion partagera ses données de localisation avec le ministère des transports et de la logistique afin qu'il puisse avoir une vue d'ensemble du corridor de transport et cibler les goulets d'étranglement en conséquence. Le corridor Éthiopie-Djibouti dessert plus de 95 % du commerce d'importation et d'exportation de l'Éthiopie, utilisant 15 000 camions, et 3 500 camions supplémentaires en haute saison. Le nouvel iFMS promet de réduire les goulets d'étranglement et d'accélérer les échanges. Ewnetu Taye Chufa, directeur national de TradeMark Africa pour l'Éthiopie, s'est...

ZANZIBAR, le 11 mars 2024: La Chambre de commerce des femmes de Tanzanie (TWCC) et TradeMark Africa (TMA) ont réuni aujourd'hui plus de 500 femmes à Zanzibar, à l'occasion de la conférence sur l'autonomisation économique des femmes. Cette convention importante a coïncidé avec la célébration mondiale de la Journée internationale de la femme, ce qui témoigne de l'engagement à promouvoir la participation économique des femmes. Sous le thème "Investir dans les femmes pour un développement durable", la conférence organisée par TWCC et TMA vise à catalyser l'autonomisation économique en fournissant aux femmes des informations précieuses sur les opportunités commerciales, en encourageant l'échange de connaissances, en célébrant les femmes leaders dans le monde des affaires et en encourageant les talents émergents grâce à des programmes de mentorat. L'invité d'honneur, M. Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, deuxième vice-président de Zanzibar, a souligné l'engagement du gouvernement en faveur de l'émancipation des femmes. "Zanzibar s'est engagé à assurer la pleine participation des femmes aux activités économiques", a-t-il affirmé, citant des initiatives telles que la création de l'Institut pour l'émancipation économique et la formulation de la politique de l'économie bleue. Mme Mwajuma Hamza, PDG du TWCC, a souligné l'effort de coopération en déclarant : "En partenariat avec TradeMark Africa et d'autres parties prenantes, cette conférence constitue une plateforme essentielle pour doter les femmes des outils et des réseaux nécessaires pour prospérer dans le commerce et les échanges." TradeMark Africa, championne des initiatives d'aide au commerce depuis 2010, a réaffirmé son engagement en faveur de l'autonomisation économique des...

La part de l'Afrique dans le commerce mondial est restée inférieure à 3 %, principalement en raison du commerce de marchandises, ce qui indique que les pays africains continuent à commercer avec le reste du monde plus qu'entre eux, selon un nouveau rapport sur l'évaluation des progrès de l'intégration régionale en Afrique de la Commission économique pour l'Afrique (CEA). Le rapport a été présenté récemment aux experts par Stephen Karingi, directeur de la division de l'intégration régionale et du commerce de la CEA. Le rapport montre que le programme d'intégration régionale de l'Afrique progresse, bien que lentement. En outre, malgré les progrès réalisés en matière d'intégration monétaire et financière, les États membres n'ont pas rempli les critères de convergence macroéconomique. En outre, le développement des infrastructures par le biais du programme de développement des infrastructures en Afrique a obtenu des résultats mitigés. Si les routes et les TIC ont progressé, les transports ferroviaires et les infrastructures énergétiques ont peu évolué. Le financement des infrastructures reste un défi. Les progrès réalisés dans d'autres domaines essentiels au succès de l'accord instituant la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine, tels que la ratification du protocole au traité instituant la Communauté économique africaine relatif à la libre circulation des personnes, au droit de résidence et au droit d'établissement, et la promotion de la paix, de la bonne gouvernance et de la sécurité, ont été moins encourageants. "Le nombre croissant de changements anticonstitutionnels de gouvernement met en évidence les défis permanents auxquels sont confrontés les pays...

In Summary The upgraded border post will consolidate immigration, customs, security, and sanitation checks under one roof. President William Ruto and his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Museveni, are set to launch a one-stop border post at the Suam border point in Trans Nzoia along the Kenya-Uganda border in the coming weeks. Speaking on Tuesday during the official opening of the 3rd sitting of the 3rd session of the 5th East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Ruto said the joint effort aims to bolster trade between the neighbouring states. The upgraded border post will consolidate immigration, customs, security, and sanitation checks under one roof. “President Museveni and I will be launching a one-stop border post in Suam in a couple of weeks,” he said. The project is funded by the African Development Bank and supported by the governments of Kenya and Uganda, as well as the China State Engineering Construction Corporation. Further, he emphasized the significance of this initiative in facilitating the movement of people and goods within the region. Ruto attributed the project’s success to the policies and legislation championed by EALA, which have addressed barriers hindering regional integration. “Our customs union is on the move, with this Assembly creating legislative frameworks to establish a common external tariff, uniform customs rules and procedures, and common rules of origin.” The Head of State highlighted the Assembly’s role in establishing frameworks for a customs union, uniform customs rules, procedures, and rules of origin and eliminating non-tariff barriers. Furthermore, Ruto praised EALA for its contributions...

The African share of global trade remained at less than 3%, driven largely by merchandise trade, an indicator that African countries continue to trade with the rest of the world more than among themselves, according to a new report on Assessment of progress on regional integration in Africa by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The report was presented recently by Stephen Karingi, ECA Director, Regional Integration and Trade Division to experts. The report shows Africa’s regional integration agenda is progressing, albeit slowly. Furthermore, despite progress in monetary and financial integration, member states have not met the macroeconomic convergence criteria. In addition, infrastructure development through the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa achieved mixed results. While roads and ICT advanced, rail transport and energy infrastructure progressed little. Infrastructure financing remains a challenge. Progress in other areas crucial to the success of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area, such as the ratification of the Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment, and fostering peace, good governance and security, has been less encouraging. “The rising number of unconstitutional changes of Government highlights the ongoing challenges afflicting African countries, including weak governance, persistent poverty and limited employment opportunities,” said Mr. Karingi adding that the second 10-year implementation plan of Agenda 2063 will need to address those challenges directly. “States should continue to take the necessary measures to ensure that the regulatory environment is conducive to...

The IOTA Foundation has unveiled a groundbreaking partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF), Trademark Africa, and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, aiming to transform international trade dynamics. Leveraging the Trade Logistics Information Pipeline (TLIP), this collaboration seeks to harness IOTA's Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) for enhancing trade transparency and efficiency. Announced during the WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, this initiative marks a significant step towards digitalizing global trade, promising to mitigate existing inefficiencies through a decentralized data management system. Revolutionizing Trade with DLT The TLIP, developed in collaboration with the IOTA Foundation and its partners, represents a pioneering approach to streamlining global trade processes. By ensuring document immutability and supporting decentralized data exchange, TLIP aims to significantly reduce transaction costs and enhance the efficiency of cross-border trade operations. This digital platform, built on IOTA's robust DLT framework, invites stakeholders to participate in a collaborative governance structure, emphasizing open-source technology and equitable access. Expanding IOTA's Network Utility In addition to its potential to transform global trade, the IOTA network has witnessed a notable increase in NFT activity and active addresses. This surge indicates a growing interest in IOTA's utility beyond its foundational trade facilitation purposes. As the network continues to evolve, its expanded use cases may further influence IOTA's market dynamics, providing new opportunities for stakeholders and participants within the digital asset ecosystem. Global Collaboration for a Digital Future The partnership between the IOTA Foundation and esteemed global institutions underscores a collective commitment to enhancing international...

Amidst disruptions to traditional trade routes, unpredictable shipping times and soaring freight tariffs caused by the conflict in the Red Sea region, the opportunities the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement creates for the development of intra-Africa trade are becoming apparent, says Standard Bank. The African continent holds markets that connect 1.3 billion people with a combined gross GDP of about USD3.4 trillion. Buying and trading goods in this environment offers alternative business opportunities both now and in the future. These opportunities would ease the pressure to import goods from the rest of the world, says Philip Myburgh, Executive Head of Trade and Africa-China, Business and Commercial Clients at the Standard Bank Group. “Besides reducing the need to import goods from outside of Africa, the preferential tariff rates promote Africa’s growth. AfCFTA has the potential to boost South Africa’s economy and create new jobs by increasing economic participation.” “Last month, South Africa exported its first shipment of goods to Ghana under the AfCFTA agreement. The goods shipped were forged grinding balls and high-chrome grinding media products supplied to the platinum, gold, ferrochrome, base metal, power generation and cement industries.” However, several other markets remain to be explored, says Myburgh. “Two features make Ghana a strong trading partner: its location on the west coast and its two deepwater ports. Takoradi and Tema offer logistical advantages to seaborne traffic from South Africa. And Ghana, often called the ‘Gateway to West Africa,’ offers easy access not only to Ghanaian markets, but also...

IOTA Ecosystem DLT Foundation in the UAE has taken a big step toward digitizing global trade and making trade finance solutions more accessible. The foundation intends to invest over $10 million in early-stage startups, ventures, pilots, and infrastructure rollouts. It aims to accelerate TradeTech, Trade Finance, and real-world asset tokenization innovation. https://twitter.com/iota/status/1763189658597367885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1763189658597367885%7Ctwgr%5E530be5b627ceb84002447886a9ba6bbc6adbc8f6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fblockchainreporter.net%2Fiota-foundation-commits-10-million-to-boost-global-trade-digitization%2F IOTA Accelerates Trade Innovation with Startup Investments This announcement is a big step for blockchain and DLT giant IOTA. IOTA invests heavily in digital trade infrastructure to solve global trade ecosystem issues and make the future more connected and efficient. Tradetech ecosystem strengthening is the goal of this investment. Tradetech streamlines trade. It covers logistics, supply chain, trade finance, and compliance. IOTA wants to help early-stage startups create trade technology solutions that improve global trade operations by providing tools and guidance. Besides helping startups, IOTA will invest in Tradetech accelerator programs to develop talent. These programs mentor, fund, and network entrepreneurs to launch their businesses. IOTA wants to attract top Tradetech talent and foster innovation and collaboration. IOTA invested in Tradetech because they believe digital technologies can change global trade. Blockchain, AI, and the IoT promise unprecedented opportunities to digitize trade processes, reduce waste, and find new value sources across the trade value chain. IOTA wants to use these technologies to simplify, open, and include trade for businesses, consumers, and economies worldwide. IOTA Foundation’s Investment Paves the Way for Global Trade Digitization Following a WTO MC13 Trade Logistics Information Pipeline agreement, investment news emerged. Public global trade infrastructure...

On Thursday, MEPs voted to approve the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreement with Kenya, East Africa's main economic hub. MEPs voted by 366 in favour, 86 against and 56 abstentions to give their consent to the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that aims to strengthen trade and economic ties with the African country. It is the first agreement with a developing country in which the EU's new approach to trade and sustainable development is reflected. The agreement includes binding and enforceable provisions on international standards and agreements on labour, gender equality, climate and the environment, and prevents both parties from lowering labour and environmental standards. The trade and sustainable development clauses, which are new compared to the EU-East African Community EPA, will be binding: possible issues will be addressed through a dedicated dispute resolution mechanism. The EU is Kenya’s second largest trading partner, and its most important export market. Total trade between the EU and Kenya reached €3.3 billion in 2022, according to Commission data. The EU’s imports from Kenya amount to €1.2 billion and are mainly vegetables, fruits, and flowers. EU’s exports amount to €2.02 billion and are mainly in mineral and chemical products and in machinery. Quote Alessandra Mussolini (EPP, IT), rapporteur for the file said: “This agreement it's a catalyst for economic growth, job creation and sustainable development. It will provide duty-free, quota-free EU market access to all exports from Kenya as soon as it enters into force, as well as partial and gradual opening of the Kenyan...

IOTA’s mission to launch the Trade Logistics Information Pipeline (TLIP) to get the private and public sectors to come together to facilitate paperless international trade has been realised as it gains popularity in the payment industry. In 2022, it collaborated with TradeMark Africa to launch a digital portal to highlight its benefits while providing an opportunity to follow the progress of the project. In posts shared by TradeMark Africa on the social media network X, TLIP was identified to be the missing piece of the puzzle meant to address the challenges border agents face. According to reports, border agents have been dealing with document delays over the years, leading to consignment hold-ups and financial loss. On top of that, there has been limited data visibility as agencies use various systems to gather trade data from different supply chain actors. The system of customs agencies is also susceptible to fraud, leading to misdeclaration and misclassification. According to Trademark Africa, TLIP could address almost all of these challenges, and make border trade efficient. Role of TLIP in MISSION Recently, TLIP was selected as one of the 30 organizations to participate in the MISSION (MaritIme juSt in time optimiSatION). This program is reportedly part of the €95.5 billion ($102 billion) Horizon Europe program, and it got €7.5 million ($8 million) from the European Union to develop a new digital communication and logistics platform. The involvement of TLIP is reported to solve the issue of fragmentation in the maritime transport ecosystem. Maritime transport accounts...