Why a joint border agreement signed 290 kilometres away could transform the Beira Corridor
Every day, trucks carrying fuel, fertiliser, machinery, grain and manufactured goods leave the Port of Beira bound for Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and beyond. Their journey to inland markets depends not only on the efficiency of one of Southern Africa’s busiest ports, but also on what happens nearly 300 kilometres inland at the Forbes-Machipanda border crossing. […]
Why standards are no longer a compliance exercise and what Tanzania’s horticulture farmers are proving
Trade has always operated within rules. For much of the twentieth century, those rules centred on tariffs. As tariffs have fallen through successive WTO negotiations, a different set of barriers has taken their place: technical standards. Today, an avocado consignment moving from Arusha to Germany must meet phytosanitary requirements, traceability rules, pesticide residue limits and, […]
Trade Experts Call for Reforms to Unlock Agricultural Market Access
NAIROBI, July 1, 2026 — Trade and agriculture experts have called for accelerated investment in trade infrastructure, stronger regulatory systems and effective implementation of regional trade agreements to unlock market access for African agricultural products and strengthen regional integration. The call was made during a TradeMark Africa-organised side event held on the sidelines of the […]
The Hormuz crisis: Shocks and tremors call for greater economic resilience
Priestly says the first and most visible impact is at the fuel pump. Higher energy prices are being felt directly by businesses and consumers. Fuel prices have tripled in Ethiopia and risen sharply in several other regional markets, including Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. A crisis in the Strait of Hormuz may seem far removed from […]
Kenya, EU launch strategy to double trade under Economic Partnership Agreement
Nairobi, Kenya, 9 July 2026 – Kenya has launched the Kenya-European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Implementation Strategy, unveiling a coordinated roadmap to transform preferential market access into increased exports, investment, industrial growth and jobs. This also positions Kenyan businesses to compete more effectively in one of the world’s largest consumer markets. The Strategy […]
Le Kenya et l’UE lancent une stratégie visant à doubler leurs échanges commerciaux dans le cadre de l’accord de partenariat économique
Nairobi, Kenya, le 9 juillet 2026 – Le Kenya a lancé la stratégie de mise en œuvre de l’Accord de partenariat économique (APE) entre le Kenya et l’Union européenne (UE), présentée comme une feuille de route coordonnée visant à transformer l’accès préférentiel au marché en une augmentation des exportations, des investissements, de la croissance industrielle et […]
The Difference Between a Good Farming Season and a Lost One
A good seed in time ensures bumper harvests for Burundi In farming, timing can be measured in days. Miss a planting window, and an entire season can be compromised. Yields fall. Income shrinks. Food security weakens. Yet, for many years, smallholder farmers in Burundi had little control over one of the most important factors determining […]
Mozambique and Zimbabwe operationalise Joint Border Committee to reduce border delays and strengthen regional trade
This article sets out, Africa’s short and longer-term priorities at the trade-sustainability nexus, and some proposals on strategies for advancing African sustainability prospects within the global trading system.
The Sorghum That Travelled Fewer Miles
Local sourcing shortens Burundi brewery’s production loop For decades, trucks, ships and warehouses formed the invisible supply chain behind Burundi’s most prolific brewery – Brarudi, a subsidiary of Heineken. White sorghum, barley and other agricultural inputs journeyed thousands of kilometres from Europe before reaching production lines to churn out flagship beers and beverages. This sourcing […]
The Day Burundi’s Grain Middleman Lost His Advantage
When smallholder farmers carry the risk, who gets the reward? For years, many smallholder farmers in Burundi faced the same difficult choice. Harvest season would arrive, grain ready for sale, but then came the middlemen. With few storage options and no direct access to large buyers, farmers often had little bargaining power. Cereals that represented […]