
ONE MARKET
MAKING STRIDES TOWARDS FREE TRADE

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aimed at promoting cooperation and collaboration between the two organisations in their common goal of supporting trade in Africa. They committed to improve standards and increase the of trade across Africa, support engagement with the continent’s private sector on trade and economic development issues; digitisation of key trade processes at a national level and more.

A BOOST FOR REGIONAL TRADE
The Government of Finland and TradeMark East Africa signed a financial agreement worth €10.5 million in March 2021. The new funding will boost TMEA’s support to governments to adopt ICT for Trade systems in key trade agencies that contribute to the successful implementation of National Single Windows.
GREENING EAST AFRICA
The Government of Denmark reiterated its commitment to support green trade and the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in the East African region by signing two financial agreements worth USD 17.5 million with TradeMark East Africa (TMEA).The two agreements will support Kenya’s efforts to transition to Green Trade and creation of sustainable jobs, and also support continued response to COVID-19 under TMEA’s Safe Trade Emergency Facility Programme.
NORTHERN CORRIDOR: A TRUCKER’S STORY

Read about Faith’s experience as a truck driver plying the Northern Corridor, a gateway and artery to an extensive economic hinterland stretching across Burundi, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda. Find out more about how TMEA has facilitated Mombasa port improvement with an investment of approx. US$110Million over a period of 8 years.
HIGHWAY TO PROSPERITY
British Ambassador to Somalia and Somaliland, Kate Foster joined Somaliland President H.E. Muse Bihi in launching the main construction phase of the 22.5 km Hargeisa bypass. The UK-supported bypass will reduce the time and cost of transporting goods between Berbera Port and landlocked Ethiopia by addressing a strategic chokepoint on the Berbera corridor. With Ethiopia’s trade volumes projected to continue expanding, Berbera also represents an alternative for increasing trade and prosperity in the Horn of Africa.
PORT RECEIVES FACELIFT

The Port of Mombasa received a major boost following the ground-breaking and commissioning of Mbaraki and Kipevu roads respectively, thanks to a partnership between the UK Government, Kenya Ports Authority, and the County Government of Mombasa. The two roads which form critical arteries to and from the Port of Mombasa are expected to improve connectivity thereby enhancing efficiency and seamless movement of cargo.
AUTOMATION= FAST TRADE PROCEDURES

TradeMark East Africa supported Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives to launch a system that automates issuance of import and export services provided by the Agriculture and Food Authority of Kenya (AFA), the government regulatory agency. Funded by Denmark with a contribution of US$1.37 million, the system will provide an efficient platform for delivery of technical and advisory services, market research, product development, regulations and compliance functions for export and import of the cash crops.

SAVE TIME, SAVE COSTS
Through TradeMark East Africa’s support the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), Tanzania’s National Standards body, launched a system that automates the standardisation and quality control of its products and services. Some of the expected benefits are a reduction in time and transaction costs as stakeholders will no longer need to visit TBS offices for services related to standards and quality control, training, collection of permits and certificates.

PROGRAMMES
TRADE CONTINUITY DURING A PANDEMIC
Malawi’s Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda was accompanied by UK High Commissioner to Malawi H.E. Dave Beer to officially hand over quarantine and screening facilities in key border posts of Mwanza, Dedza and Songwe and Mchinji borders in support the Malawi Ministry of Health to support its capacity and fight against COVID-19. This was part of TMEA’s $23 million Safe Trade Emergency Facility rolled out in Eastern and Southern Africa in the aftermath of the Covid19 pandemic that seeks to ensure regional economies continue to trade in a safe way, while curbing cross-border infections.

DIGITAL SKILLS FOR E-COMMERCE GROWTH
With funding from the European Union and UKAID, the Kenya Private Sector (KEPSA) launched an Ecommerce Booster Programme targeting MSMEs with little or no digital presence to train and support them in development of e-commerce strategies, onboard them to e-commerce platforms and link them to domestic and cross-border e-commerce marketplaces. With an initial target of 2,000 MSMEs, 2,545 MSMEs registered for the programme with 1,605 onboarding to various digital platforms and applying knowledge on content creation and AfterSales.

RWANDA COFFEE? YES PLEASE!
Through funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), TMEA boosted National Agricultural Export Development Board’s capacity to sort and grade high quality coffee for lucrative export markets following acquisition of modern Coffee Sorting and Grading Machines and accessories worth $US$ 1.159 million. With the modern equipment, NAEB will be able to sort and grade 64-80 Metric Tonnes per day which will fill up to four 40-foot containers, which is 48 times NAEB’s current capacity.

SAFE MARKETS AT THE HORN
A US$206,000 modern physical market was launched in Ethiopia’s border town of Tog Wajaale to serve informal women traders who were recently adversely affected by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by project donors European Union-IGAD (EU-IGAD) and Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office of the UK (FCDO), the market seats 200 women traders and has been constructed with key health provisions and features to ensure enhanced safe trading and hygiene in light of the prevailing pandemic.

EVENTS
GOING THE TECH WAY
On 30th September, TradeMark East Africa participated in the World Trade Organisation Public Forum 2021 in a session that shared some of the lessons learnt in promoting contactless trade and building digital trade corridors and some considerations for recovery. The session also showcased innovative solutions that have facilitated trade and helped mitigate trade impacts of COVID-19. Missed the session?
WAVING OR DROWNING?
TradeMark East Africa (TMEA), in partnership with the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), today launched a report titled, “Waving or Drowning? The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on East African Trade”.The report establishes that the EAC economies were resilient against the COVID-19 pandemic effects , with exports holding up well and the regional trade balance improving due to lower imports.