Traders brace for higher costs as Tanzania joins Kenya in raising port tariffs
Traders across East Africa face rising costs after Tanzania introduced new cargo handling tariffs, just weeks after Kenya raised its own. The Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) says the revised charges, effective from January 9, 2026, will increase port service fees by between 2 and 15 percent, adding fresh pressure to logistics and consumer prices in […]
Kenya launches electronic warehouse receipt system to cut post-harvest losses and unlock finance for smallholder farmers
Nairobi, Kenya | 25th February 2026: Kenya has officially launched the Electronic Warehouse Receipt System Central Registry (eWRS-CR), a landmark digital platform set to modernise agricultural commodity trade, reduce post-harvest losses, and unlock access to structured markets and financing for farmers and agribusinesses nationwide. Launched by the Warehouse Receipt System Council (WRSC) in partnership with […]
Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda Sign Pact to Create DESSU Corridor Authority
Djibouti, 15 February 2026: The governments of Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda have formally agreed to establish the Djibouti-Ethiopia-South Sudan-Uganda (DESSU) Corridor Authority. Signed at a ministerial session in Djibouti, the accord sets in motion a regional framework for coordinating trade, transport and logistics across the four nations. This will advance the shared vision […]
Djibouti, l’Éthiopie, le Soudan du Sud et l’Ouganda signent un pacte portant création de l’Autorité du Corridor Djibouti-Éthiopie-Soudan du Sud-Ouganda (DESSO)
Djibouti, le 15 février 2026 : les gouvernements de Djibouti, d’Éthiopie, du Soudan du Sud et d’Ouganda ont officiellement convenu de créer l’Autorité du corridor Djibouti-Éthiopie-Soudan du Sud-Ouganda (DESSO). Signé lors d’une session ministérielle à Djibouti, cet accord met en place un cadre régional pour coordonner le commerce, les transports et la logistique entre les […]
Progrès Réalisés Dans Les Efforts Visant À Éliminer Les Barrières Réelles Au Commerce Africain
Rapport annuel de TradeMark Africa, 2024-2025 Nairobi, Kenya, le 30 janvier 2026: Le Rapport annuel 2024-2025 de TradeMark Africa (TMA) démontre que les droits de douane ne constituent plus le principal obstacle au commerce africain, mais plutôt les mesures non tarifaires ; et que les progrès en matière de croissance du commerce intra-africain et entre […]
Why the Simplified Trade Regime Matters for DRC Border Communities
In Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, the minister of foreign trade, H.E. Julien Paluku Kahongya, opened a workshop on the Simplified Trade Regime, known locally as RECOS, on 11 December 2025. The two-day forum brought together provincial trade ministers, border agencies and small-scale traders to assess whether border procedures serve the people who rely on […]
There is Progress on Eliminating the Real Barriers to African Trade
TradeMark Africa Annual Report 2024-2025 Nairobi, Kenya, 30 January 2026: TradeMark Africa’s (TMA) 2024-2025 Annual Report makes a case that tariffs are no longer the main obstacle to Africa’s trade but rather non-tariff measures; and that progress in growing intra-African trade and trade between the continent and the rest of the world will come from […]
PM Abiy spotlights Ethiopia–Djibouti railway
Ethiopia is repositioning the Ethio–Djibouti Railway as a credibility asset for trade competitiveness in 2026. The Ethio–Djibouti railway is becoming central to Ethiopia’s 2026 logistics strategy as policy focuses on lower trade friction and stronger delivery capacity. A logistics message with macro weight When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the Ethio–Djibouti Railway Corporation on 4 January 2026, […]
Trade Minister commends TMA for empowering women-led businesses to access export markets
By Rachel Kakraba The Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare, has acknowledged the support of TradeMark Africa, TMA, for its role in empowering women-led businesses through targeted training to access the export market. The initiative she noted has helped equip women entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge required to meet international trade […]
South Sudan pushes for one-stop border project to ease trade bottlenecks
Nimule One-Stop Border Post project construction. [Photo: TradeMark Africa] JUBA — South Sudan’s minister of trade and industry, Atong Kuol Manyang, met on Monday with the Commissioner General of the South Sudan Revenue Authority (SSRA), William Anyuon Kuol, to advance plans for a “One-Stop Border Post” (OSBP) intended to reduce persistent cross-border delays. The high-level […]