The selection: Thursday, 12 November

Today, in Windhoek: SACU heads of state and government meeting

In Harare, on 26 November: Zimbabwe's 2016 national budget

Featured infographic, @o_merk: What are the main trade links between India and Africa?

Featured conference: Investment treaty reform - reshaping economic governance in the era of sustainable development' (CCSI)

Featured tweets from the CCSI conference:

@CCSI_Columbia: Wamkele Mene of @the_dti notes there were political risks when South Africa terminated BITs, but investors have not been deterred

@toddntucker: Mene: it was harder to convince our own Treasury Dept about ISDS reforms that our foreign negotiating partners

@toddntucker: Mene: SA has cut vague terms like FET from inv law. Replaced with clearer protections from SA constitution like fair admin justice

@SamSzokeBurke: Mene: any future BIT with S Africa will need to incorporate domestic definition of expropriation and not include FET obligation

CCSI's online forum: New Thinking on Investment Treaties

Domestic resource mobilization: where to go after Addis? (UN)

Citing an enormous loss of $100bn to $240bn in uncollected global corporate income tax revenues each year, Oh Joon, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council stressed the need to curb tax evasion and avoidance and called for stronger international tax cooperation. “Taxation represents a stable and predictable source of finance. Complemented by other sources, it is central to financing development needs and providing public goods and services,” said Mr Oh in his remarks to the joint meeting of ECOSOC and the UN General Assembly’s Second Committee, the world body’s main forum for discussions on economic and financial issues. The joint meeting held under the theme ‘Domestic Resource Mobilization: Where to go after Addis?’ identified resources and challenges to finance sustainable development.

Tanzania: TRA upbeat on 12.3trn/- revenue target (IPPMedia)

On average, TRA has been collecting slightly over 844.6bn/- per month with the highest collections of over 1.06trn/- in September, this year. The TRA Commissioner General, Rished Bade said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the revenue body had already collected almost 3.78trn/- which is 97.6% of the target for the first quarter of this fiscal year. The amount is slightly over 25 per cent of the 2015/16 revenue target. “Now it’s zero tolerance against tax evaders, there is a lot of political will in President Magufuli’s position on revenue collection,” Bade said while warning evaders that TRA would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Treasury coffers were stuffed.

COMESA Business Council, Taj Pamodzi Hotels to promote local sourcing from agro-food suppliers (COMESA)

 “To date, the active participation of SMEs in national and regional value chain remains very limited in the COMESA region. These businesses continue to face numerous challenges in meeting expected standard requirements,” said CBC’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Sandra Uwera during the signing ceremony. “I cannot overemphasize the importance of this collaboration in building the capacity of these SMEs to implement compliant food safety systems.” This collaboration comes ahead of a Local Sourcing for Partnerships project training in Zambia for 80 suppliers on sustainable standard requirements. The Local Sourcing for Partnership Project is an initiative by the CBC with support from the Investment Climate Facility for Africa, USAID- IPAA and the Private sectors who are members of the CBC. The project will be piloted in six countries, namely Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda.

What is Africa worth in the international trading system? (Bridges Africa, ICTSD)

What is at stake for LDCs in Nairobi? (Bridges Africa, ICTSD)

United Nations Commission on International Trade Law: update (UN)

Economic Report on Nigeria, Special Edition 2015 (AfDB)

This special edition of the Economic Report on Nigeria aims at serving a dual purpose. First, it serves as an instrument for engaging the new Administration of the Federal Government on the policy imperatives for sustainably transforming the Nigerian economy. Hence, key focus areas for policy imperatives for the Administration are outlined. Second, it aims to review the current challenges facing the economy and provide a menu of policy options on possible way forward. The Report is organized into six sections

Buhari taps private sector for appointment of new Perm Secs, retires 17 others (ThisDay)

Nigeria's new cabinet triggers another wait for policy direction (Bloomberg)

Somalia Economic Update: Transition amid risks (World Bank)

The first in a new series of Somalia Economic Updates, entitled ‘Transition Amid Risks’, warns that the absence of appropriate regulations is responsible for the emergence of the anti-competitive behaviour currently hindering the emergence of new Somali enterprises as well as prospects for smaller and medium sized enterprises. Continued commitment to the reform process will create the opportunity for broader participation in the economy; improved regulatory frameworks will encourage investment, generate better services and create the jobs much needed by Somalia’s youthful population. [Download]

Somalia infrastructure needs assessments and infrastructure action plan: EOI (AfDB)

Kenya army involved in sugar smuggling racket (New Vision)

Kenya's army is involved in a $400-million sugar smuggling racket in Somalia that also funds the Al-Qaeda militants it is supposed to be fighting, a report alleged Thursday. Far from fighting the Al Shabab, Al-Qaeda's East Africa affiliate, the Kenya Defence Forces are, "in garrison mode, sitting in bases while senior commanders are engaged in corrupt business practices," said the investigation by Nairobi's Journalists for Justice rights group. The report is based on months of research conducted in Somalia and Kenya, including interviews with serving Kenyan officers, United Nations officials, Western intelligence sources, sugar traders, porters and drivers. Kenyan army spokesman, Colonel David Obonyo, denied the allegations, insisting Kenyan soldiers were fighting hard as part of the 22,000-strong African Union Mission in Somalia. "We are not involved in sugar or charcoal business," said Obonyo. "How can you sit down with Shebab one minute, and the next you are killing each other?"

Low petrol prices cut Kenya’s import bill first time in 8 years (Business Daily)

A steep drop in global petroleum prices has cut Kenya’s import bill for the first time in eight years, helping to reduce the economy’s exposure to the shilling’s weakening in the past six months. Official data shows that Kenya, which is East Africa’s largest economy, imported Sh177.2 billion worth of fuel and lubricants between January and September, a huge drop from the Sh271.2 billion it took in during the same period last year and saving the economy some Sh94 billion. Oil accounts for about a quarter of Kenya’s annual import bill, underlining the critical role it plays in the exchange market.

A third of public revenue goes to pay off debt, experts say (Daily Nation)

Domestic or external debt, which way Kenya? (The Star)

East Africa regional transport conference concludes today: Matatus eye East Africa region (Daily Nation), Matatu sector has greatly improved (Standard)

Millions of children’s lives at stake as El Niño strengthens, UNICEF ‘wake-up call’ report warns

As a result of a strengthening El Niño, the United Nations Children’s Fund is warning that an estimated 11 million children are at risk from hunger, disease and lack of water in eastern and southern Africa alone, as the weather phenomenon has left droughts and floods in its wake throughout parts of Asia, the Pacific and Latin America. “The consequences could ripple through generations unless affected communities receive support amid crop failures and lack of access to drinking water that are leaving children malnourished and at risk of killer diseases,” said UNICEF in a new report, A Wake UP Call: El Niño’s Impact on Children.

World Intellectual Property Report 2015: breakthrough innovation and economic growth (WIPO)

Relying on an original mapping of patents to fields of innovation, the report finds that Japan, the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea accounted for 75% or more of all-time patent filings in the areas of 3D printing, nanotechnology and robotics. Meanwhile, China is the only emerging middle-income country moving closer to this group of advanced, industrialized nations, accounting for more than a quarter of patents worldwide in the area of 3D printing and robotics – the highest share among all countries. In the case of nanotechnology, Chinese applicants make up close to 15% of filings worldwide – the third largest origin of patents. Furthermore, the report underlines the elements of successful innovation ecosystems: government funding for scientific research and support in moving promising technology from the laboratory to the production stage; competitive market forces that encourage firms to innovate, supported by vibrant financial markets and sound regulation; and fluid linkages between public and private innovation actors. [Download]

SA and Namibian Competition Commission sign MOU (GCIS)

Dutch PM Rutte leading biggest-ever trade mission to Africa (NL Times)

Mozambique’s conformity with trade facilitation agreements (SPEED)

In this fifth and final blog in our series we consider steps to be taken for Mozambique’s to acceded to the Bali TFA and reasons why Mozambique may choose not to join the East Africa Free Trade Area. Without the benefit of in-country interviews, this preliminary study could not determine the precise issues Mozambique considers barriers to accession to the Tripartite FTA, but it is possible to propose a few hypotheses. [The author: Daniel Plunkett]

AGOA: US trade deal collapse highlights Swaziland’s troubles (Business Day)

Chinese capital in African contexts: flexible, adaptable yet uncertain (SAIIA)

Thus, in comparison to other foreign (more ‘traditional’) economic actors, most Chinese economic undertakings in Africa have been characterised by a relatively late development. Additionally, the unfolding of Chinese capital also allows raising the following question: Do these forms of economic engagement remain selective and increase territorial fragmentation (in the form of disconnected enclaves) or, on the contrary, do they create or at least facilitate a broader and more inclusive spatial approach allowing backward and forward linkages? [The author: Romain Dittgen]

2015 Report on the Sustainable Development of Chinese Enterprises Overseas (UNDP)

Chinese enterprises are assuming an increasingly prominent role overseas, with Chinese outward direct investment (ODI) rising at an average rate of 36.4% each year since 2000. Yet, while welcome in principle by developing countries, the story about the impact of Chinese companies operating overseas has often been misunderstood. A new report, the 2015 Report on the Sustainable Development of Chinese Enterprises Overseas was launched in Beijing to investigate and counterbalance this narrative, with ground-breaking new evidence.

ECOWAS calls for collective ownership of the Sahel strategy

ECOSOCC Women and Gender Cluster: communique of constitutive meeting

Christine Lagarde: 'Unlocking the promise of Islamic finance'

Gulf Cooperation Council seeks stronger trade ties with Africa

Susan Harris Rimmer: 'We lose more than we gain in moving away from multilateral trade' (The Conversation)

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This post has been sourced on behalf of tralac and disseminated to enhance trade policy knowledge and debate. It is distributed to over 300 recipients across Africa and internationally, serving in the AU, RECS, national government trade departments and research and development agencies. Your feedback is most welcome. Any suggestions that our recipients might have of items for inclusion are most welcome. Richard Humphries (Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Twitter: @richardhumphri1)