Why this project?

COVID-19 threatens to reverse the significant economic gains that have been made in Sub-Saharan Africa, and particularly the reduction in trading costs accrued for the last 10 years. The Safe Trade Emergency Facility (Safe Trade) is TMA’s response to support the East African governments mitigate the pandemic’s economic impacts and respond to health risks it poses. Safe Trade will support critical short to medium term measures to ensure safe continuity of trade in Eastern Africa, mitigate job losses and protect livelihoods dependent on trade. In Kenya, the Mombasa Port and the borders that have long been the arteries of cross border trade, have been clogged by the effects of COVID-19, long truck queues, closure of cross border markets and increased risk of infection to front line workers have been reported.

Safe Trade interventions are centred on 7 key clusters: i) Provision of PPE to critical and frontline operations at ports and borders; ii) Technology interventions to keep trade moving (such as the Truck Driver Tracking App; iii) Trade Policy Interventions; iv) Supply chain support for resilience, relief and recovery in essential goods and exports; v) Standards and SPS interventions; vi) Advocacy interventions; vii) Gender Inclusion and women in trade and Safe Trade Zones.

Progress:

• Personal Protective Equipment delivered to Mombasa Port, Busia, Malaba, Isebania and Namanga
• Roll out of the Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Testing App

How:

Kenya Country Programme set up working group steered by the Government and Private Sector to ensure that a concerted effort is exerted in implementing Safe Trade.

Contact:

Ahmed Farah, Country Director, Kenya Country Programme
ahmed.farah@trademarkea.com