Le Secrétariat de la Communauté de l'Afrique de l'Est (CAE) a lancé la plateforme centralisée du Territoire douanier unique (TCD), un outil conçu pour faciliter l'échange transparent de données douanières et commerciales en temps réel entre les autorités douanières et portuaires des États partenaires interconnectés. L'inauguration a eu lieu au siège du secrétariat de la CAE à Arusha, en Tanzanie, et coïncide avec la célébration de la Journée internationale des douanes, dont le thème est « La douane respecte son engagement en faveur de l'efficacité, de la sécurité et de la prospérité ». La secrétaire générale de la CAE, S.E. Veronica Nduva, qui a présidé au lancement, a souligné l'importance de la plateforme pour faire progresser l'intégration régionale et stimuler le commerce : « Le territoire douanier unique a été créé en 2014 pour simplifier, automatiser et accélérer le mouvement des marchandises à travers la CAE. La plateforme centralisée est un élément clé du cadre du territoire douanier unique. Grâce au partage en temps réel des informations douanières, cette plateforme permet de relever des défis tels que les retards de dédouanement, les barrières non tarifaires, les coûts de transaction élevés et les inefficacités dans le commerce transfrontalier », a-t-elle déclaré. Mise en œuvre initialement en 2017, la plateforme a évolué pour prendre en charge les transactions liées au commerce intrarégional, aux exportations vers les marchés mondiaux, aux marchandises en transit et à la délivrance de certificats d'origine. En 2023, la plateforme a été mise à jour pour inclure le commerce...

Delegates at the event while unveiling a revamped Single Customs Territory (SCT) Centralised Platform The establishment of over 15 One-Stop Border Posts in East African Community (EAC) has generated annual savings of more than $63 million and reduced border crossing times by 70 percent, said Veronica Nduva, EAC Secretary General. She noted that the physical and digital infrastructure put in place over the years have efficiently maximized the time and cost of cross-border trade, hence, driving regional integration and deepening trade. ALSO READ: How one stop border posts have reduced cost of trade This was highlighted at the unveiling of a revamped Single Customs Territory (SCT) Centralised Platform, a tool designed to facilitate the seamless exchange of customs and trade data in real-time among interconnected partner states’ customs and port authorities, on January 27.   Veronica Nduva, EAC Secretary General speaks during the event while unveiling a revamped Single Customs Territory (SCT) Centralised Platform. Courtesy Held at the EAC Secretariat Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, it was in line with the celebration of the International Customs Day, themed “Customs Delivering on its Commitment to Efficiency, Security, and Prosperity.” “The Centralised Platform is a critical component of the SCT framework. By enabling real-time sharing of customs information, this platform augments regional efforts to address challenges such as delays in customs clearance, non-tariff barriers, high transaction costs, and inefficiencies in cross-border trade,” said Nduva. “By automating the critical customs and trade facilitation processes, these interventions, including the Centralised Platform, ensure faster and more efficient...

  Le Forum pour le développement du commerce en Afrique 2024 s'est achevé à Kigali les 2 et 3 décembre, avec des appels unanimes à investir dans l'infrastructure numérique pour le commerce, et en particulier le passage à des frontières sans arrêt à travers les principaux corridors de commerce et de transport de l'Afrique. Avec pour thème « Libérer le potentiel commercial de l'Afrique grâce à l'innovation numérique », le forum a appelé à des avancées rapides dans le commerce numérique à travers le continent sous les auspices du protocole sur le commerce numérique de la Zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (ZLECAf). Édouard Ngirente, le Premier ministre du Rwanda, S.E. Wamkele Mene, secrétaire général de la ZLECAf, et le ministre rwandais du Commerce et de l'Industrie, Prudence Sebahizi, ainsi que d'autres ministres, partenaires de développement et dirigeants d'institutions multilatérales, ont apporté leur soutien à l'événement. Le Forum pour le développement du commerce en Afrique a vu des experts se plonger dans des discussions variées allant de la technologie du grand livre distribué pour le commerce à la construction de corridors intelligents à travers les principaux corridors de commerce et de transport de l'Afrique, afin de faciliter le commerce et la croissance économique en Afrique. « Nous avons entamé des conversations qui conduiront à des améliorations tangibles dans la manière dont les échanges commerciaux sont menés à travers nos frontières. La numérisation nous donne l'occasion d'intégrer les MPME et les petites entreprises dans l'économie numérique, ce qui leur permettra d'accéder aux...

Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente delivers his remarks during the opening of the Africa Trade Development Forum in Kigali on Monday, December 2. Courtesy. Investment in Africa's digital and technological capabilities is necessary to unlock the continent's trade potential and accelerate economic growth, Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente said on Monday, December 2, as he opened the Africa Trade Development Forum in Kigali. Achieving this vision requires countries to adapt to the rapidly evolving trade landscape shaped by emerging technologies, Ngirente said, adding that enabling free movement of people, goods, and services is crucial to unlocking the full potential of intra-African trade. “Leveraging digital technologies is critical. Removing non-tariff barriers and facilitating seamless cross-border movement will not only create new opportunities for businesses but also address key trade-related challenges across the continent,” he said. “This potential requires that our countries advance the use of digital innovation in trade operations. Doing so will not only facilitate connections between producers and consumers but also boost growth and create opportunities for better jobs.” Ngirente noted that achieving this ambitious vision would require significant investments in scaling up energy and digital infrastructure, easing electronic cross-border payments, and improving customs and logistics systems.   Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente delivers his remarks during the opening of the Africa Trade Development Forum in Kigali on Monday, December 2. Courtesy Studies show that improving digital connectivity, combined with a supportive regulatory framework, could reduce trade costs by as much as 25 percent, Ngirente told delegates at the two-day event co-hosted by the...

Delegates follow a presentation at the opening of the Africa Trade Development Forum in Kigali on Monday, December 2. Courtesy By embracing emerging technologies and building robust digital infrastructure, African countries can unlock new opportunities for businesses, improve access to global markets, and increase the efficiency of trade operations, officials said during the African Development Forum in Kigali, on December 2. The forum highlighted that digitalisation holds immense potential for transforming Africa's trade landscape by facilitating smoother cross-border trade and boosting exports across the continent. According to TradeMark Africa (TMA), an organisation that works to increase trade in Africa, a major challenge facing cross-border digital trade in Africa is the lack of uniform regulations across countries. Each nation has its own rules governing digital transactions, data privacy, and e-commerce, thereby creating barriers for trade. One of the key advantages of digital trade is its ability to empower small businesses, including women entrepreneurs, smallholders, and marginalised groups, by lowering barriers to entry.   Delegates follow a presentation at the opening of the Africa Trade Development Forum in Kigali on Monday, December 2. Courtesy Antoine Sebera, the chief innovation officer at Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), said that the fragmentation of policies is a critical barrier to digital trade, and aligning these frameworks under initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol is a game-changer. ALSO READ: Rwanda set to host Trade Development Forum “Fragmented regulations limit our ability to scale. With the AfCFTA framework, we have an opportunity...

This photo taken on April 4, 2024, shows a statue (L) and Kigali Convention Centre in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui) Delegates at the Trade Development Forum 2024 have called for strengthened efforts to promote digital innovation as a means of unlocking Africa's trade and business potential. KIGALI, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Delegates at the Trade Development Forum 2024 have called for strengthened efforts to promote digital innovation as a means of unlocking Africa's trade and business potential. The forum, which opened Monday in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, was organized by TradeMark Africa (TMA), an aid-for-trade organization with the aim of growing prosperity in Africa through trade, in cooperation with the Rwandan government. It focuses on the transformative power of digital innovation under the theme "Unlocking Africa's Trade Potential Through Digital Innovation." Speaking at the event, Prudence Sebahizi, Rwandan minister of trade and industry, underscored the crucial role of technology in overcoming trade barriers, fostering connections and enabling inclusive economic growth. "This year's theme reflects the aspirations of our continent to build a digitally connected and economically inclusive Africa. Today, we stand on the threshold of unprecedented opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and technology is the engine driving this transformation," Sebahizi said. He highlighted Rwanda's achievements in trade facilitation through initiatives like the Electronic Single Window system, which has significantly reduced trade processing times and costs. "Technology enables us to enhance efficiency, cut trade costs and ensure that Africa's vast market is more...

The Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene speaks during the Africa Trade Development Forum in Kigali on Monday, December 2. Courtesy. Africa has achieved different levels of digital trade, with some regions making more progress than others. Work must be done to connect the scattered dots and ensure the continent becomes a single digital market. The appeal was made by various leaders at the just-concluded Africa Trade Development Forum in Kigali, co-hosted by the government of Rwanda and TradeMark Africa. The forum was held under the theme, 'Unlocking Africa's trade potential through digital innovation.’ ALSO READ: How digitalisation is transforming trade in Africa The Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, cited the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol (AfCFTA DTP) as one of the ways digital trade fragmentations can be addressed on the continent. "We have seen how digital technologies have enabled trade and made it more efficient especially in the East African region. The AfCFTA DTP intends to consolidate all these efforts and create a single digital market," he said. The AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol was adopted in February 2024, with negotiations still ongoing on annexes such as rules of origin and cross border digital payments. According to Annette Ssemuwemba, Deputy Secretary General Customs, Trade and Monetary Affairs at the East African Community, more still needs to be done to ensure a seamless flow of trade in the region. “The electronic single windows were meant to be integrated so that we are...

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD the  Trade facilitation report: driving African trade through digitalisation The Trade Facilitation Report is the inaugural knowledge report by TradeMark Africa (TMA). It was launched in Kigali, Rwanda, on 3 December 2024 at the conclusion of the Africa Trade Development Forum 2024. ODI Global researchers – Dirk Willem te Velde, Yohannes Ayele, Maximiliano Mendez-Parra and Linda Calabrese – contributed to shaping the ideas of the report. Recognising trade facilitation as a critical element for improving Africa’s trading environment, the Trade Facilitation Report addresses the priorities, lessons, risks and opportunities associated with trade facilitation in Africa. It seeks to outline ideas, opportunities, principles and priorities that should guide governmental actions and continental reforms in trade facilitation. The primary message is clear: investing in trade facilitation yields substantial long-term benefits in growth for both the private sector and consumers, and advances in digital technology mean that this area is now particularly fertile to drive gains. This document presents evidence of these benefits and lessons learned from various interventions across Africa, particularly from the impact of digitalisation in reducing the time and cost of trade for countries. It also highlights the disparities in policy frameworks and digital infrastructure, which, if effectively addressed, will further stimulate opportunities for intra-African trade. Lastly, it outlines risks that states should be wary of while accelerating digitalisation for trade.

David Beer, CEO of TradeMark Africa speaks exclusively to The New Times. The digitalisation of trade has increased efficiencies in trade processes and changed how trade is conducted on the continent. However, a number of challenges need to be addressed in order to streamline digital trade and ensure its benefits are realised and shared inclusively. The New Times’ Tesi Kaven spoke to David Beer, the CEO of TradeMark Africa on the challenges, opportunities, and the future of digital trade in Africa. Below are the excerpts: How is digitalisation changing trade in Africa? We have seen improvements in the reduction of cost and time of trading across borders after digitalising many trade processes. At TradeMark Africa, we have implemented over 100 digital trade processes in conjunction with our government and private sector partners across Eastern Africa and even further. We have seen the average time to complete trade processes come down by around two thirds or 66 hours. That makes a big difference to exporters and increases their margins and makes them more profitable. We have worked with the government of Rwanda to put in place the electronic single window, which has reduced the time taken to complete those trade processes by half. We have also worked with the government of Kenya to put in place their integrated customers management system that reduced the time to clear air freight from about four days to just a couple of hours. In Uganda, we did the same thing and saw annual costs come...

EIGHT Tanzanian exporters have secured agreements to deliver 960 metric tonnes of fruits and vegetables to Britain, estimated at $2.8m annually if it is sustained. Anthony Chamanga, the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) chief development manager, said at a press conference yesterday that horticultural farmers are staring at an export windfall as the UK’s broad and lucrative market opens its gates. The UK, renowned as one of the world's most lucrative marketplaces, has approved eight Tanzanian horticultural export companies for entry, offering a promising opportunity for local farmers. The rising demand in the UK for fresh produce, fueled by the health-conscious middle class, has positioned fruits and vegetables as the top performers in imported food items. Mbelwa Kairuki, the country’s high commissioner to the UK, played an essential role in linking local exporters with UK buyers, with dedicated collaboration from TAHA. Experts predict this venture will create approximately 3,800 job opportunities along the supply chain, helping to boost agro-sector unemployment. The Horticulture Exports Accelerator Program (HEAP), a newly developed initiative in partnership with TAHA, was facilitated by a delegation of eight local companies making the trip to connect with leading UK importers and explore collaboration opportunities. The TAHA executive led the delegation, participating in a key event held by the Fresh Produce Consortium to present their products and finalize contracts with potential buyers. During their visit, the Tanzanian delegation also explored Spitalfields Market, a central wholesale hub for horticultural imports in London, setting up networking contacts with traders for future partnerships....