La récente ratification par le Parlement de l'Union européenne (UE) et l'Assemblée nationale du Kenya de l'accord de partenariat économique (APE) entre l'UE et le Kenya change la donne. Cet accord offre un accès au marché en franchise de droits et de quotas. Pour les agriculteurs kenyans, en particulier les producteurs horticoles, il s'agit d'une occasion en or. Pour tirer parti de cette opportunité, l'UE a collaboré avec TradeMark Africa pour la mise en œuvre du programme d'amélioration de l'environnement commercial et des exportations (BEEEP) dans le cadre de l'APE. Cette initiative vise à soutenir les petits exploitants agricoles et les producteurs, en les aidant à cultiver des produits de haute qualité de manière durable et à les acheminer vers le marché de manière efficace, principalement par le biais du fret maritime. Le passage du fret aérien au fret maritime au Kenya est motivé par des économies, des préoccupations environnementales et le besoin de résilience de la chaîne d'approvisionnement. Le fret maritime est plus économique pour les gros envois et est considéré comme une option plus écologique. La pandémie de Covid-19 a mis en évidence les vulnérabilités du transport aérien, incitant les entreprises à diversifier leurs stratégies logistiques. C'est là que les Export Supply Hubs (ESH), également connus sous le nom de centres de consolidation, entrent en jeu. Les ESH peuvent révolutionner l'exportation de fleurs, d'avocats, de mangues et de légumes vers l'UE et d'autres marchés. Ces hubs représentent plus qu'un simple changement logistique ; ils incarnent une transformation qui...

La frontière entre Tunduma et Nakonde devient de plus en plus le moteur du commerce transfrontalier entre la Tanzanie, la Zambie et la République démocratique du Congo (RDC), les données montrant une augmentation constante du volume et de la valeur au cours des neuf derniers mois. Ce constat a été fait récemment lors de la visite de la présidente Samia Suluhu Hassan dans la région, dans le cadre de sa visite de travail dans la région de Songwe. Ces nouvelles données prometteuses interviennent neuf mois après que la Tanzanie et la Zambie ont convenu de relever huit des 24 défis commerciaux et d'établir des plans pour résoudre les 16 restants d'ici le 31 décembre 2023, afin de faciliter efficacement le commerce entre les deux pays, notamment en réduisant la congestion des camions à la frontière de Tunduma. S'exprimant hier, le vice-ministre des transports, David Kihenzile, a déclaré qu'au cours de la visite, les deux dirigeants ont convenu de relever les défis auxquels est confrontée la frontière, qui enregistre une moyenne de 124 000 camions traversant la frontière chaque année. Il a indiqué que la transformation des entreprises, sous l'impulsion de la sixième phase du gouvernement, a permis d'augmenter le nombre de camions traversant la frontière à 261 000. « Le volume de marchandises passant la frontière chaque année est passé de trois millions de tonnes métriques à 6,2 millions de tonnes métriques. L'augmentation comprend également la collecte de revenus, qui est passée de 76 milliards de shillings à 159 milliards...

The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) says it expects its customs monthly revenue at Mwanza Border to go up by eight percent to K26 billion when the one-stop border post facility opens. Speaking on Wednesday at Mwanza Border when Minister of Trade and Industry Sosten Gwengwe handed over the facility to operating agencies, MRA deputy commissioner general Henry Ngutwa said the new facility will enable it to clear goods within three hours instead of several days. He said tax revenue is expected to jump from K24 billion to K26 billion per month. In his remarks, Gwengwe said government wants to ensure that all borders migrate to one-stop service facilities to enhance operational efficiencies and open up the flow of cross-border trade. “The application of the one-stop border post will reduce border delays by almost 70 percent which means reduction in transit costs, promote a coordinated and integrated approach to facilitating trade and promote efficiency in the delivery of public services,” he said. The project was funded by the World Bank with support from Southern Africa Trade and Connectivity Project with a tune of K5.5 billion. Read original article

What you need to know: The new and promising data come nine months after Tanzania and Zambia agreed to address eight out of 24 trade challenges and put up plans to resolve the remaining 16 by December 31, 2023, to effectively facilitate trade between the two countries Dar es Salaam. The Tunduma-Nakonde border is increasingly emerging as the driver for cross-border trade between Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with data showing a steady rise in both volume and value during the past nine months. This emerged yesterday when President Samia Suluhu Hassan visited the area during her ongoing working visit to the Songwe Region. The new and promising data come nine months after Tanzania and Zambia agreed to address eight out of 24 trade challenges and put up plans to resolve the remaining 16 by December 31, 2023, to effectively facilitate trade between the two countries, including reducing truck congestion at the Tunduma border. Speaking yesterday, Transport Deputy minister David Kihenzile said during the visit that the two leaders agreed to address challenges facing the border, which recorded an average of 124,000 lorries that crossed the border annually. He said business transformation spearheaded by the sixth phase of government has increased the number of lorries crossing the border to 261,000. “The volume of cargo passing the border annually has increased from three million metric tonnes to 6.2 million metric tonnes. Also, the increase includes revenue collection from Sh76 billion to Sh159 billion,” he said during the...

Addis Ababa July 13/2024 (ENA) Ethiopia is actively pushing for regional integration not only in terms of trade but also several areas such as infrastructure and energy; and it can in fact be described as even a leader of the African integration journey, ECA experts noted. In an exclusive interview with ENA, African Trade Policy Center Coordinator at ECA Melaku Desta said Ethiopia can be seen as an active participant and a leader in the journey towards African integration. This involves efforts to improve and expand physical connectivity such as roads, railways, ports, and energy networks that link Ethiopia with its neighboring countries and the broader region. By investing in and enhancing infrastructure, Ethiopia aims to facilitate smoother trade flows, foster economic cooperation, and strengthen political ties with its regional neighbors, Melaku elaborated. He further explained that historically, Ethiopia has not been extensively engaged in regional integration efforts. Its approach to such initiatives has often been characterized as reluctant. But, over the past six years, Ethiopia has significantly shifted its stance on regional integration by actively leading both the negotiations and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. “Ethiopia is actively pushing for regional integration not only in terms of trade but also several areas in terms of infrastructure, energy trading and others. I think right now, Ethiopia can be described as an active participant and even a leader of African integration journey” Participation and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offer immense...

The African Continental Free Trade Area’s Guided Trade Initiative (GTI), launched on October 7, 2022, to pilot and expedite AfCFTA provisions, has seen initial success with eight countries participating in its inaugural phase: Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Tunisia. South Africa joined in January 2024. As the second phase of GTI gains momentum, Nigeria stands poised to enter, heralding new avenues for trade expansion. This step is crucial as Nigerian exporters, who are currently grappling with domestic economic challenges, see the GTI as a beacon of hope, a gateway to broader African markets. A newly released report, ‘Economic Impact of Nigeria’s GTI Participation: A Comprehensive Analysis ‘, assesses the economic impact of Nigeria’s GTI participation. It examines current trade dynamics, potential gains from tariff reductions, and strategies to optimize benefits. Key findings reveal that while Nigeria’s current trade volumes with existing GTI countries are modest, sectors like cashews, ginger, and manufactured goods show substantial potential for growth under tariff elimination. This move could significantly enhance Nigerian exports and imports, fostering a positive economic ripple effect and a promising future for Nigerian trade. Addressing potential challenges, such as reduced tariff revenue and increased competition for domestic industries, requires targeted policy interventions. Recommendations include active engagement of Nigerian businesses by the Government and the National Action Committee for Implementation of the AfCFTA (NAC-AfCFTA), ensuring comprehensive support through information dissemination, trade missions, and integration into continental value chains to bolster competitiveness. Moreover, exploring alternative revenue sources to offset potential tariff revenue losses...

Accra, July 17, GNA – The World Bank has identified intra-African trade and digitalisation as key drivers of economic transformation on the continent, and urged that bottlenecks are removed. The Bank said the two sectors offerred hopes for the continent’s transformation as they could provide significant opportunities for increased competition, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows, and economic diversification. This is in the Bank’s 2023 Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA), which was launched in Accra on Monday, July 16, 2024. Speaking at the event, Dr Andrew Dabalen, Chief Economist, African Region, World Bank, asked African governments to create a conducive environment for the private sector, including affordable loans to the private sector to enhance productivity and expand access to market. “Trade within Africa is low in general; only 20 per cent of African exports go to another African country, but whatever is traded is mostly manufactured, so, in general, it’s likely to be much more job creation than extractives,” he said. “If the composition of trade changes, where the region could trade a lot more with itself, this could be a major engine of growth for the private sector,” the World Bank Chief Economist noted. Regarding digitalisation, Dr Dabalen, stated that while 80 per cent of Africa was covered by 3G or 4G technology, only 22 per cent used it for productive use. That, he said presented enormous potential, particularly for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises growth. He, therefore, called for complementary investment to improve electricity access, and regulatory frameworks to...

The European Union (EU) parliament and Kenya’s National Assembly recent ratification of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and Kenya is a game changer. This deal offers quota-free and duty-free market access. For the Kenyan farmers, particularly horticulture producers, this is a golden opportunity. To capitalise on this opportunity, the EU has collaborated with TradeMark Africa, to implement the Business Environment and Export Enhancement Programme (BEEEP) under the EPA. This initiative is designed to support smallholder farmers and producers, helping them cultivate high quality produce sustainably and get it to market efficiently, primarily through sea freight. The shift from air to sea freight in Kenya is driven by cost-savings, environmental concerns, and the need for supply chain resilience. Sea freight is more economical for large shipments and is seen as a greener option. The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerabilities in air transport, prompting businesses to diversify their logistics strategies. This is where Export Supply Hubs (ESH), also known as consolidation centres, come into play. ESH can revolutionise the export of flowers, avocados, mangoes, and vegetables to the EU and other markets. These hubs signify more than just a logistical shift; it embodies a transformation that addresses critical constraints and boosts export capabilities and competitiveness. At the core of ESH is the goal to streamline and enhance the export process, ensuring efficiency and sustainability. By consolidating produce from various growers, ESH reduces the risks and complexities of individual shipments. This method builds trust in sea freight, optimises resources, such...

ZimTrade, l'organisation nationale de développement et de promotion du commerce du Zimbabwe, affirme que le port de Lamu pourrait ouvrir de nouvelles portes logistiques pour le Zimbabwe vers les marchés florissants de la côte est. Le port est une pierre angulaire de la stratégie de développement des infrastructures du gouvernement kenyan, reliant le port moderne de Lamu aux principales villes de l'intérieur, notamment Garissa, Isiolo, Maralal, Lodwar et Lokichogio. Le port s'étend également jusqu'à Moyale, à la frontière éthiopienne, avec une liaison supplémentaire vers la frontière du Sud-Soudan, positionnant le Kenya comme une plaque tournante vitale pour le commerce dans la région. Le projet s'inscrit dans le cadre des objectifs de la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine, qui visent à développer des infrastructures de soutien pour faciliter le commerce transfrontalier sur l'ensemble du continent. "Les installations de pointe permettront des connexions directes entre les ports maritimes de l'océan Indien et l'intérieur de l'Afrique, réduisant ainsi les délais et les coûts", a déclaré ZimTrade. "Pour les pays enclavés comme le Zimbabwe, le port de Lamu pourrait ouvrir de nouvelles portes logistiques vers les marchés florissants de la côte est. "Alors que le commerce intra-africain entre dans une nouvelle ère de libéralisation, la foule des grues et des porte-conteneurs à Lamu symbolise les aspirations collectives du continent à la croissance et à l'intégration par le biais du commerce". L'organisation a déclaré que le port de Lamu, dans le cadre du projet Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor, permettra aux commerçants zimbabwéens...

Le Kenya a pour objectif de transférer 50 % de ses exportations de produits frais de l'air vers l'eau d'ici 2030. Pour étudier la faisabilité de cet objectif, le journaliste Milliam Murigi s'est entretenu avec Jonathan Kipruto, directeur général de l'horticulture chez Kakuzi Plc, une entreprise qui a utilisé avec succès ce mode de transport pour toutes ses exportations d'avocats. Votre entreprise exporte des avocats depuis un certain temps déjà. Quel mode de transport utilisez-vous et pourquoi ? Nous utilisons exclusivement le fret maritime parce qu'il nous permet d'exporter efficacement des produits en vrac, ce qui n'est pas possible avec le fret aérien. Contrairement au fret aérien, le fret maritime peut accueillir de grands volumes de marchandises à un coût nettement inférieur, ce qui en fait le mode de transport idéal pour nos besoins. En outre, le fret maritime offre une plus grande souplesse dans le traitement des articles lourds ou surdimensionnés, ce qui garantit que nos envois en vrac sont transportés en toute sécurité. Cette approche permet non seulement d'optimiser notre logistique, mais aussi de soutenir notre engagement à fournir des produits de haute qualité à nos clients dans le monde entier. Que faites-vous pour que les avocats restent frais pendant le long voyage en mer ? Nous veillons à ce que tous nos fruits soient récoltés à la bonne maturité afin de préserver leur fraîcheur et leur qualité. Nous traitons tous les fruits avec de l'eau ozonée et un fongicide de qualité alimentaire avant de les emballer afin...