The selection: Wednesday, 25 November

Additional documentation prepared for the UNECA’s Committee on Regional Cooperation and Integration meeting is now available:

Investment agreements landscape in Africa, Report on Africa’s international trade, Status of food security in Africa

AfDB Transport Forum 2015: sustainable transport for an integrated Africa (AfDB)

The first African Development Bank Transport Forum (26-27 Nov) will bring together high-level government representatives, experts, development partners, international organizations, the private sector, academia, NGOs and other stakeholders to discuss the key issues and challenges facing the transportation sector on the African continent. Transport costs on the African continent are among the highest in the world, both for passenger travel and movement of freight. For African countries, it’s often easier and cheaper to trade with the rest of the world than with each other. The challenge in the transport sector is also social, as 40% of Africa’s population lives more than two kilometres from an all-season road. How can we facilitate the movement of people and goods to meet the increasing needs of producer and consumer markets in Africa? How can we facilitate reliable, safe, sustainable and inclusive travel, both locally and internationally? [Conference www, Hashtag: #2015ATF]

Other conference documentation: Ninth Committee of Directors Generals of National Statistics Office (21–28 November), Commonwealth Heads of Government (27–29 November), 13th ILO African Regional Meeting (30 November – 3 December)

Integrating trade into national development strategies and plans: the experience of three African LDCs (UNCTAD)

This paper examined the experiences of three African LDCs (Ethiopia, Lesotho, Senegal) in mainstreaming trade into their national development strategies. It found that while they have strengthened efforts to better integrate trade into their national strategies, significant challenges remain, for instance with regard to the inclusion of local stakeholders in the trade policy-making process and in addressing the social impacts of trade reforms on vulnerable groups. Against this backdrop, the paper underscores the need for African LDCs to have a more systematic approach to trade policy-making than in the past to enhance their ability to better use trade in support of development. The paper also draws lessons from the experiences of the three African LDCs for other LDCs. [The authors: Amelia Santos-Paulino, Carolina Urrego-Sandoval]

EALA urged to facilitate implementation of Common Market Protocol (New Times)

The East African Legislative Assembly has been called upon to facilitate the implementation of the Common Market Protocol through relevant legislation for the region to benefit from free movement of people and services. The challenge to the regional lawmakers was made by Rwandan Senate president Bernard Makuza while opening a session of EALA sitting in Kigali yesterday. “By delaying the implementation of the protocol, we are depriving EAC citizens the promises made to make the East African Community a common market for free movement of people, jobs, service provision, education, financial access and services,” Makuza said.

South Africa: updates on Zimbabwe Permit Programme, Lesotho Special Permit (GCIS)

The special dispensations for Zimbabwean and Lesotho nationals residing in SA illegally were in part intended consciously to ease the pressure exerted on the country’s Refugee Reception Offices, dealing with a mixed flow of migrants, including of an economic nature. This approach is therefore helping in separating economic migrants from asylum seekers and refugees. The benefits should include enhanced refugee management and refugee protection.

Kenya to host regional research hub at Kemri (Daily Nation)

Kenya is set to host a regional research and innovation hub to enhance study and development in medicine. It will be set up by the government in partnership with the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDi) to bridge the scientific, research and development gap between the region, Africa and the rest of the world.

AUC-FSIN technical consultation, recommendations on food security policy issues (AU)

From 17-19 November 2015, the African Union Commission in collaboration with the Food Security Information Network, a partner initiative between FAO, WFP and IFPRI, held a technical consultation themed ‘Food and Nutrition Security and Resilience Analysis: Are we effectively using the right data?,’ in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The objective of the Consultation was to launch a process leading to development of a framework to strengthen national food security and nutrition information systems and statistical capacities, to enhance evidence-based decision making and policy monitoring in the region. [Downloads available]

Agricultural growth in West Africa: market and policy drivers (AfDB, FAO)

Improving policy implementation requires (i) strengthening the implementation, analytic, and monitoring and evaluation capacities of key agencies and organisations charged with implementation; (ii) improving the data base upon which policy decisions are made, and (iii) strengthening the alignment between the interests of the different countries, individual actors, and the region as a whole. Perhaps the strongest incentives for transparent and effective policy implementation will result from encouraging strong national and regional private-sector and civil-society stakeholder groups and a free press that can act as counterweights to inefficient and/or corrupt policy implementation.

Seeds without borders: using and sharing plant genetic diversity to adapt to climate change in Africa (AU)

Accelerating climate-resilient and low-carbon development: the Africa Climate Business Plan (World Bank)

As climate change and variability significantly impact Sub-Saharan Africa’s development agenda, a new World Bank plan outlines actions required to increase climate resilience and low-carbon development in an effort to maintain current and protect future growth and poverty reduction goals. Noting that climate drives most of the shocks that keep or bring African households into poverty, Accelerating Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Development: The Africa Climate Business Plan aims to both bring attention to and accelerate resource mobilization for priority climate-resilient and low-carbon initiatives in the region. According to the plan, climate-related factors will make harder for African countries to tackle extreme poverty in the future for three reasons:

Climate change, renewable energies and sustainable use of natural resources in East Africa (EAC)

Unless we act now: the impact of climate change on children (UNICEF)

WorldRiskReport 2015: food insecurity increases the risk of disaster (United Nations University)

Youth Entrepreneurship Policy Guide (UNCTAD)

The Founder President of the Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs - Asia (CAYE-Asia), Rahul Mirchandani, said: “Governments can help build dynamic youth entrepreneurship ecosystems with policy frameworks that serve as catalysts for building cross-border trade, facilitating access to finance, and incentivizing innovative best practices. Young entrepreneurs must also be encouraged to co-create robust peer networks that connect their young businesses with the world.” The guide includes recommended actions for policymakers and contains around 90 cases of policy measures that have had a positive impact. It encourages governments to develop comprehensive strategies that include policies, programmes and institutions while taking into account national socio-economic factors and development challenges. [Download]

The Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth (UNIDO)

Connecting resources and society in Botswana: communique, downloads

Debate about diversification of the Botswana economy beyond diamonds occurs particularly during downturns in diamond prices, but government policy to diversify during past downturns has been limited. The beneficiation programme is a stepping stone. But today there is an opportunity for Botswana to build upon beneficiation and become a continental leader on extraction and a hub of expertise on mining.

Botswana seeks to expedite nickel deal (Business Day)

Botswana's mines minister Onkokame Kitso Mokaila has written to his South African counterpart to expedite the transfer of the mineral rights at the Nkomati Nickel mine to state-owned Botswana Copper, which is one of the central platforms the government will use to diversify its economy away from diamonds.

Kenya: War on corruption splits private sector (Business Daily)

The new assault on graft by President Uhuru Kenyatta has created a rift between the private sector and the chamber of commerce chairman Kiprono Kittony who resigned from the Kenya Private Sector Alliance board. Mr Kittony said the lobby had hijacked an industry initiative when it presented the Anti-Bribery Bill to President Kenyatta on Monday. He said the alliance, with about 200 corporates and 90 business membership organisations, does not represent private business in the country and abroad.

President Kenyatta's statement on the reorganisation of government

Kenya signs e-commerce deal with China (Daily Nation)

Kenya and China have launched an online window to cut out middle men and reduce logistics cost for import and export trade between the two countries. Kenya National Chamber of Commerce signed a deal to bring Chinese e-commerce service Amanbo into the Kenyan market. Under the deal KNNCI will help verify the quality and standards for Kenyans who want to post their products for the Chinese market.

Agreement 'set to spur investments' by Dubai firms in Africa (Out-Law)

India-Tanzania trade: January-August data (IPPMedia)

Mauritius and Australia to cooperate on marine renewable energy (Govt of Mauritius)

What lessons can Rwanda learn from South Korea's development model? (New Times)

Resolution frameworks for Islamic banks (IMF)

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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)