Rwanda’s newly minted private meat inspectors on the frontlines to boost food safety, create jobs for youth
Annick Dusengimana (centre) and other participants during the graduation ceremony Kigali, Rwanda – On 27 June 2025, thirty-five young Rwandans were certified as private meat inspectors after completing an intensive six-month training programme. This initiative was specifically designed to enhance food safety standards and create valuable employment opportunities within Rwanda’s expanding meat industry. Their certification […]
How better logistics could unlock Kenya’s full potential in horticultural exports
By the time a crate of French beans meant for export leaves a farm in Kirinyaga County in Kenya, it has passed multiple sanitary and phytosanitary checks. The farmer has done everything required to meet the expectations of the destination market. But despite these efforts, unforeseen risks often come after the farm gate. Somewhere between […]
Study proposes solutions to trade barriers holding back Kenya’s fresh produce exports
Kenya’s exports of fresh fruits and vegetables continue to face a host of trade barriers that undermine their competitiveness in major international markets, according to a new study. Commissioned as part of the European Union-funded Business Environment Enhancement and Export Promotion (BEEEP) Programme that is implemented by TradeMark Africa, the report identifies both tariff and […]
“Trade is Peace. Integration is Power.” TradeMark Africa UK Mission Underscores True Engines of Growth
LONDON. 7 July 2025 — In a world racing toward regionalism, the Africa integration story often gets obscured by its own complexity. Yet last week in London, a compelling narrative emerged — one of deliberate transformation, driven not only by policy frameworks but by the quiet, technical work of institutions that understand trade from the ground […]
TradeMark Africa Donates UK-Funded IT Equipment to Elubo Border Management Committee to Boost Cross-Border Trade between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire
Accra, Ghana. 25 April 2025 – TradeMark Africa (TMA), with funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), donated a range of IT equipment to the Elubo Border Management Committee to enhance the operational capacity of border agencies and promote more efficient trade between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. At a brief handing-over ceremony […]
TradeMark Africa Hosts Inaugural Zambia National Oversight Committee Meeting in Lusaka
(Seated, third from right) Allen Asiimwe, Deputy CEO, TradeMark Africa, (seated, third from left) Ms. Lillian Bwalya, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI), and Chair of TMA’s Zambia National OC, (seated, second from left) Mr. Tim Bushell from the UK foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. Others: representatives from the Zambia […]
Zambia Outlines Key Transport Projects at Central Corridor Ministers’ Meeting
At the 14th Ordinary Meeting of the Inter-State Council of Ministers for the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency, held on 18 June 2025 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Zambia reaffirmed its commitment to regional transport development and integration. Led by Minister of Transport and Logistics, Hon. Museba Frank Tayali, the Zambian delegation outlined key […]
Public-private pacts key catalyst for East Africa’s trade future
In East Africa, collaboration between public and private sector actors is proving to be a powerful force in shaping inclusive economic development.While traditional Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are often associated with infrastructure financing, a quieter, more transformative form of collaboration is unfolding—one rooted in shared purpose, mutual benefit, and inclusive growth.As governments work to create enabling […]
East Africa should seize the trade moment in changing global order
At this year’s GTR East Africa 2025 Conference in Nairobi, I participated in a timely panel discussion under the theme “Trade Growth and Infrastructure Investment: East Africa’s Opportunity to Thrive in the New World Order.” The conversation could not have come at a more critical moment. The global economy is in transition. Long-standing trade assumptions […]
How a Kenyan Cooperative is Turning Compliance into a Catalyst for Rural Prosperity
Murang’a County, a significant avocado-producing region in Kenya, contributes 40% of the national output, valued at over $3.5 million. Most homes in the area have small orchards, which have become crucial for rural livelihoods. While cities like Madrid and Stockholm offer lucrative markets for avocados, Murang’a farmers, like others in Kenya, face barriers to entry. […]