November 20, 2024, Nairobi, Kenya. USAID today flagged off technology equipment worth $33,000 to four East African Community (EAC) land border posts – Lwakhakha (Kenya/Uganda) and Loitoktok/Tarakea (Kenya/Tanzania) to enhance the operational efficiency of cross-border regulatory agencies better facilitating trade, cargo clearance, and cooperation among customs authorities and partner government agencies. The purchase of the equipment was funded by USAID Economic Recovery and Reform Activity (ERRA) implemented by TradeMark Africa (TMA).
The four selected borders play a crucial role in facilitating the movement of agricultural commodities and products across the East African countries and serve as conduits for strengthening regional trade connectivity within the EAC. The Lwakhakha border is crucial in alleviating traffic pressure from key Northern Corridor borders at Malaba and Busia, while the Loitoktok/Tarakea border plays a central role in linking South-Eastern region in Kenya with the North-Eastern region in Tanzania and facilitating broader trade activities. According to recent data, agricultural product volumes moving through the Lwakhakha border from Uganda between July 2021 and June 2022 reached 5.37 million kilograms. Major items included cereals (rice, maize, beans), fruits (bananas, watermelons, avocados), vegetables (tomatoes, yams), and animal feed (rice and wheat bran). At the Loitoktok/Tarakea border between Tanzania and Kenya, goods valued at $39.2 million were cleared in 2022, primarily comprising fruits (oranges, watermelons, pineapples), vegetables (onions, potatoes), legumes (peas, groundnuts), cereals (maize, cowpeas), as well as animal feeds, wood, and LPG gas. Additionally, Tanzania imported $41.2 million worth of goods from Kenya, of which 92% were processed industrial goods and 8% agricultural products, with notable items including animal feeds, industrial household goods, juices, edible oils, and pastries.
About USAID
The United States Agency for International Development USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. The Economic Recovery and Reform Activity (ERRA) is a five-year US$75 million program under TradeMark Africa (TMA) that is funded by USAID. From 2022 to 2027, ERRA aims to promote transformative trade and investment reforms in the East and Horn of Africa while supporting the region’s return to a growth pathway and recovery from the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic while advancing competitiveness and resilience. For more information, please visit www.trademarkafrica.com/erra/
About TradeMark Africa (TMA)
TradeMark Africa (TMA) is a leading African Aid-for-Trade organization, founded in 2010 with the mission to grow intra-African trade and increase Africa’s share in global trade. TMA focuses on reducing the cost and time of trading across borders through enhanced trade policy, better trade infrastructure, standards that work for businesses, greater use of
digital innovations and a focus on creating trade access for vulnerable groups, has contributed to lower cargo transit times, improved border efficiency, and reduced trade barriers. The organization has expanded in recent years to cover 14 countries across East and the Horn of Africa, to Southern and West Africa.
