SAFE TRADE CONTINUITY & SAFETY DURING COVID-19
TradeMark East Africa announced the launch of the $23m Safe Trade Emergency Facility Programme, to support governments to undertake critical measures along the transport and trade routes that will ensure trade continues safely while protecting livelihoods during COVID-19 and the recovery period. The United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands fund the programme, with the European Union as the largest donor (€5 million).
AfCFTA KICK OFF!
The successful implementation of Africa Free Continental Trade Area (AfCFTA) positions East Africa to earn US$ 1.8 billion in welfare gains and benefit from 2 million jobs. AfCFTA became operational this January. The projections are made in a report recently published and launched by TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and titled ‘Creating a Unified Regional Market – Towards the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area in East Africa.’
EMERGING IMPACT STORIES FROM THE FIELD
Want to know why chillies are sweet to Rwandan trader Diego? Or Ever thought of switching careers? Well, Kirabira went from a reluctant farmer to leading the charge on improvement in crop production standards in East Africa! Read about this and more stories in our Impact Story Compendium. This collection of stories demonstrates that collaboration with the private sector, governments and the East African Community is the key ingredient of our achievements.
PROGRAMMES
MOBILE APP THAT KEEPS DRIVERS SAFE
The East Africa Community (EAC) Secretariat and its Partner States rolled out the Regional Electronic Cargo and Driver Tracking System (RECDTs). Funded by the European Union, Global Affairs Canada, Danida, Finland, Netherlands and United Kingdom through TradeMark East Africa, the app enables issuance of EAC COVID-19 digital certificates that are mutually recognised by Partner States, thus eliminating need for multiple testing.
AN ALLY IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE
If there is anything positive that could be said of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya, it is that the country quickly learnt from other nations earlier devastated by the plague. Kenya speedily implemented containment measures, yet, as in many countries, local infections were reported and have continued increasing. The private sector quickly aligned itself and has remained a close partner to the state in fighting the pandemic.
GULU LOGISTICS HUB: A GAME CHANGER
TradeMark East Africa together with Uganda’s Ministry of Works and Transport and Uganda Railways Cooperation commenced construction of the Gulu Logistics Hub in March 2020, a project of Euros 7.76 million (about 33 billion Uganda Shillings), supported by the European Union (Euros 5 million) and the UK`s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO – Euros 1.76 million). Major features of the Hub include: container and break-bulk, handling and storage facilities with a handling capacity of more than 500,000 per year, space for stakeholders dealing with freight transport and the provision of accompanying services.
MOVING FROM ETHIOPIA TO KENYA MADE EASY
The Moyale One Stop Border Point (OSBP) was launched in a colourful event officiated by H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta CGH President of the Republic of Kenya and H.E. Dr Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister, the Federal Republic of Ethiopia at the Moyale border point which adjoins the two neighbouring nations. Construction of the Moyale OSBP was done in two phases with TradeMark East Africa, with funding from the United Kingdom, spearheading implementation of Integrated Border Management (IBM) Procedures and Systems on both sides of the border at a cost of US$ 1.65M.
WEBINARS
EMBRACING DIGITISATION DURING COVID-19
Last year, the UN Conference on Trade and Development projected a 40% drop in Global FDI as a result of COVID-19. The UN Economic Commission for Africa estimated that Africa would face an immediate decline in GDP growth from 3.2% to 1.8% in 2020 as a result of Covid-19, but with a further adverse impact if COVID-19 was not contained in the short-term. TradeMark East Africa put together an illustrious panel to discuss this and find innovative ways to promote safe trade in the region.
STANDARDS FOR SAFE TRADE
There is a potential rise in food insecurity as COVID-19 pandemic continues disrupting supply chains. In East Africa, almost 70% of the population relies on agriculture value chains. To discuss various challenges and highlight why Standards play an important role in facilitating trade & promoting exports, TMEA hosted a thought-provoking chat with government ministers and industry players to explore solutions and measures that the private sector and governments can adopt. Missed the session?