Country Policy Tracker

tralac is monitoring trade-related policy responses to the Coronavirus global pandemic. Below is a list of COVID-19 trade and trade-related measures being adopted by African countries. This list is not exhaustive but is updated regularly from official sources.

Find out more about regional and continental responses to COVID-19 in Africa here.

Last updated: 2 September 2020 - 20:00 South Africa Time

• South Africa

  pdf Update COVID-19 Response by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (2.60 MB) - 19 August 2020

  pdf Risk Adjusted Strategy: Schedule of Services - Draft Framework (320 KB)  - 25 April 2020

  pdf Regulations on Competition Tribunal Rules for COVID-19 Excessive Pricing Complaint Referrals (196 KB)  - 3 April 2020

  pdf Covid-19 Export Control Regulation (Government Notice R424 of 2020) (278 KB)  - 27 March 2020

  pdf Consumer and Customer Protection and National Disaster Management: Regulations and Directions (132 KB)  - 19 March 2020

  Read more on South Africa’s policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic

• Algeria

  pdf Prime Minister’s Office: Press release on the road map for gradual lifting of COVID-19 containment measures (French) (161 KB) - 4 June 2020

  pdf Communiqué from the Council of Ministers Meeting (French) (139 KB) - 31 May 2020

  pdf Exceptional measures to facilitate import of medical goods and certain other products to combat the spread of COVID-19 (French) (1.60 MB)  - 3 April 2020

  pdf COVID-19 Preparation and Response Plan COVID-19, 2020 (French) (1.45 MB)

  pdf Executive Decree No. 20-70 establishing additional measures to prevent and combat the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) (French) (169 KB) - 24 March 2020

  pdf Tariff classification of products temporarily suspended for export (French) (639 KB) - 22 March 2020

  pdf Executive Decree No. 20-69 relating to preventive measures and fighting the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) (French) (39 KB) - 21 March 2020

• Angola

  pdf Presidential Decree No. 142/20: Statement on the Situation of national emergency COVID-19 Pandemic (Portuguese) (592 KB) - 25 May 2020

  pdf Presidential Decree No. 98/20: Immediate Measures to Relieve Negative Economic and Financial Effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (Portuguese) (651 KB) - 9 April

  pdf Ministry of Commerce Executive Decree No. 143-20 (Portuguese) (494 KB) - 9 April 2020

  pdf Presidential Decree No. 96/20: Transitional measures in response to the impact of COVID-19 (Portuguese) (426 KB) - 9 April 2020

  pdf Presidential Decree No. 82/20: Exceptional and temporary measures for the prevention and control of COVID-19 (Portuguese) (542 KB) - 26 March 2020

• Benin

  pdf Clarification of the tax support measures for businesses in the context of the management of COVID-19 (French) (1.04 MB)  - 26 June 2020

  pdf Social measures Covid-19 in Benin: Statement by the MASM Véronique TOGNIFODE MEWANOU (French) (76 KB) - 10 June 2020

  pdf COVID-19: Communiqué from the Government concerning two new measures (187 KB)

  pdf Memorandum suspending missions in the context of prevention against Coronavirus at Port of Cotonou (French) (107 KB) - March 2020

• Botswana

  pdf Statutory Instrument No. 102: Control of Goods baked goods (1.11 MB) - 14 August 2020

  pdf Bank of Botswana: Monetary Policy Committee Decision (230 KB) - 30 April 2020

  pdf Extraordinary Government Gazette: Statutory Instrument No. 61 of 2020: Emergency Powers (COVID-19) Regulations (598 KB) - 2 April 2020

  pdf Public Notice on COVID-19 (1.44 MB)  - 16 March 2020

• Burkina Faso

  pdf Preparedness and Response Plan for the COVID-19 Epidemic in Burkina Faso (French) (11.93 MB) - Revised April 2020

  pdf NBF Standards on Face Shields (French) (1.93 MB) - April 2020

  pdf Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Handicrafts: Communiqué: Standards and recommendations on the manufacture of gels, hydro alcoholic solutions and protective screens (French) (585 KB) - 6 April 2020

  pdf Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Handicrafts: Decree Approving Standards on COVID-19 personal protective equipment (French) (1.58 MB) - 6 April 2020

  pdf Press Release: Measures taken by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Handicrafts to stem the economic consequences of COVID-19 (French) (107 KB) - 21 March 2020

• Burundi

  pdf Decree Establishing the Mandate, Composition and Operation of a Committee responsible for Combating the Spread of COVID-19 in Burundi (French) (1.77 MB) - 24 April 2020

  pdf Press release: Ministry of Public Health on COVID-19 Prevention Measures (French) (1.05 MB)  - 17 March 2020

• Cabo Verde

  pdf Resolution No. 96/2020: Second amendment to Resolution No. 77/2020 Lifting of restrictions (Portuguese) (333 KB) - 9 July 2020

  pdf Council of Ministers: Resolution No. 77/2020 approving strategy and timeline for lifting of COVID-19 restrictions (Portuguese) (614 KB) - 29 May 2020

  pdf Joint Ordinance No. 18/2020 approving commercialisation and sale of non-medical masks (Portuguese) (299 KB) - 2 May 2020

  pdf Official Bulletin: Law No. 83/2020 :Exceptional and temporary measures to tackle COVID-19 (Portuguese) (409 KB) - 4 April 2020

  pdf Decree-Law No. 37/2020 establishing exceptional and temporary social protection and fiscal measures and No. 38/2020 special regime personal guarantees of the State (Portuguese) (915 KB) - 31 March 2020

• Cameroon

  pdf Prime Minister’s Office Press Release on COVID-19 (613 KB) - 7 May 2020

  pdf Government’s COVID-19 Response Strategy: Special Statement by the Prime Minister (2.06 MB) - 30 April 2020

  pdf Official Notice on the implementation of measures to facilitate foreign trade operations following the COVID-19 international health crisis (French) (283 KB) - 26 March 2020

  pdf Instruction Note on additional measures in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 at Port of Doula (French) (623 KB)  - 24 March 2020

  pdf Instruction Note on additional measures to control the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic at the Douala Port (French)  (931 KB) - 20 March 2020

• Chad

  pdf Temporary elimination of import tariffs on certain products due to the COVID-19 pandemic (French) (1.87 MB) - 24 April 2020

  pdf National Contingency Plan for the Preparation and Response to the COVID-19 Epidemic: 1 March 2020 - 28 February 2021 (French) (2.39 MB)

• Comoros

  pdf National response plan to the multisectoral crisis linked to COVID-19: Decision No 20‐050 (French) (116 KB) - 2 April 2020

  pdf National response plan to the multisectoral crisis linked to COVID-19, Order No 20‐007 (French) (120 KB) - 30 March 2020

• Congo

  pdf Central Bank of the Congo: Monetary Policy Committee Meeting: Communiqué (French) (1.62 MB) - 30 April 2020

  pdf General Directorate of Customs and Indirect Rights: Measures to prevent or combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic (1.88 MB) - 23 April 2020

  pdf Ministry of Finance and Budget: Circular No. 0247: MFB-CAB on measures to support companies in the fight against the economic effects of COVID-19 (French) (1.07 MB) - 15 April 2020

  pdf Decree No. 2020-100 on Organising Public Services during Lockdown (French) (659 KB) - 1 April 2020

  pdf Decree No. 2020-99 on Establishing a list of essential goods and services within the framework of measures against COVID-19 (French (963 KB) ) - 1 April 2020

  pdf Decree No. 2020-93 Declaring a state of health emergency in the Republic of Congo (89 KB) - 30 March 2020

  pdf Decree No. 2020-66 on Creation and Organisation of the National Coordination for the Management of COVID-19 (French) (1.10 MB) - 27 March 2020

  pdf Central Bank of Congo: Communiqué on measures taken to mitigate the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Congolese economy (French) (1.37 MB) - 24 March 2020

• Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

  pdf Communiqué of the Council of Ministers (French) (954 KB) - 8 April 2020

  pdf COVID-19 Response Plan (French) (204 KB) - 30 March 2020

  pdf Maritime sanitary controls at the Port of Abidjan (366 KB) - February 2020

• Democratic Republic of Congo

  pdf COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan in the Democratic Republic of Congo (French) (903 KB) - March 2020

• Egypt

  pdf Circular no 9/2020 on the Ministry of Health guiding list on COVD-19 medical supplies (Arabic) (102 KB)  - 28 March 2020

  pdf Circular no. 8/2020: Customs Authority Varieties not included in the infection prevention requirements (Arabic) (82 KB)  - 26 March 2020

  pdf Circular no. 7/2020: Customs Authority Suspended items for export (Arabic) (201 KB)  - 26 March 2020

  pdf Decree 194/2020 and GOEIC Exception: Ministry of Trade and Industry (Arabic) (9.96 MB)  - March 2020

  pdf Ministerial Decree 187/2020: Ministry of Trade and Industry (Arabic) (277 KB)  - 17 March 2020

• Eswatini

  pdf Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade: Revocation of selected business operations (151 KB) - 23 April 2020

  pdf Prime Minister’s Statement: Partial Lockdown COVID-19 Update (132 KB) - 15 April 2020

  pdf Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade: Gradual Relaxation of Business Operations (104 KB) - 15 April 2020

  pdf Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade: COVID-19 Permits for Essential Industries (88 KB) - 3 April 2020

  pdf Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade: COVID-19 Essential Services as Regulated (57 KB) - 2 April 2020

  pdf Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade: General Guidelines for All Industries (104 KB) - 25 March 2020

• Gabon

  pdf Presidency of the Republic of Gabon: Council of Ministers meeting - Speech by the President (French) (248 KB) - 9 April 2020

  pdf Full Speech to the Nation by Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba on accompanying measures taken by Gabon following the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis (French) (38 KB) - 2 April 2020

  pdf Government Press Release: Presidential Council on COVID-19 (French) (136 KB) - 7 March 2020

• Gambia

  pdf Measures Taken to Support Taxpayers by Gambia Revenue Authority (28 KB) - 1 April 2020

• Ghana

  pdf Update on GPHA COVID-19 Preparedness and Prevention Activities (77 KB)

  pdf Ministry of Finance: Statement to Parliament on Economic Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Economy of Ghana (902 KB) - 30 March 2020

• Guinea

  pdf Press release on the evaluation of the economic and social impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Guinean economy (French) (500 KB) - 8 May 2020

  pdf Republic of Guinea: COVID-19 Economic Response Plan (French) (920 KB) - April 2020

• Kenya

  pdf Protocols for Importation of Used Textiles and Used Footwear into Kenya (205 KB) - 12 August 2020

  pdf Guidelines for Business Operations during COVID-19 (1.64 MB) - 2 June 2020

  pdf Pharmacy and Poisons Board: Measures in response to importation of COVID-19 related products (157 KB) - 29 April 2020

  pdf Kenya Ports Authority: Measures to ensure operations continue at the port of Mombasa (2.31 MB) - 23 April 2020

  pdf Presidential Guidelines to Manage the Spread of COVID-19 (123 KB) - April 2020

  pdf Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development: FAQs for Business Operations COVID-19 (880 KB) - 8 April 2020

  pdf Kenya National and County Governments Market Protocols and Guidelines During Coronavirus Pandemic (4.83 MB)

  pdf Special Issue: Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 30 (VAT and Public Order) (103 KB) - 26 March 2020

  pdf Additional Emergency Measures to Mitigate the Adverse Effects on the Banking Sector from Coronavirus (32 KB) - 24 March 2020

  pdf Emergency Measures to Mitigate the Adverse Economic Effects on Bank Borrowers from the Coronavirus Pandemic (201 KB) - 18 March 2020

  pdf Press Release: Emergency Measures to Facilitate Mobile Money Transactions (30 KB) - 16 March 2020

• Lesotho

  pdf Legal Notice: Public Health (COVID-19) Regulations (3.01 MB) - 22 April 2020

  pdf Public Health (COVID-19) Regulations (11.15 MB) - 3 April 2020

• Liberia

  pdf Address to the Nation by President George Manneh Weah on the current status of COVID-19 in the Republic of Liberia (25 KB) - 8 April 2020

• Libya

  pdf Decision of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord No. 288 of 2020 determining some provisions of the lockdown (Arabic) (174 KB) - 23 April 2020

  pdf Resolution of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord No. 277 of 2020 deciding some provisions of the lockdown (Arabic) (231 KB) - 13 April 2020

  pdf Decision of the Presidential Council No. 242 of 2020 regarding the allocation of a sum of money from Chapter Five Emergency Expenditures (Arabic) (1.16 MB) - 30 March 2020

  pdf Decision of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord No. 238 of 2020 determining some provisions of the lockdown (Arabic) (201 KB) - 29 March 2020

  pdf Publication of the President of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord No. 3 of 2020 (Arabic) (140 KB)  - 24 March 2020

  pdf Resolution of the Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord No. 215 of 2020 announcing the lockdown (Arabic) (226 KB)  - 21 March 2020

  pdf Ministry of Commerce and Industry Decision No. 59 of 2020 prohibiting the export of PPE (Arabic (119 KB) ) - 15 March 2020

• Malawi

  pdf Malawi Gazette Supplement: Customs and Excise Rules and Regulations (582 KB) - 24 April 2020

• Mali

  pdf Communiqué of the Council of Ministers (French) (84 KB) - 30 April 2020

  pdf Communiqué of the Council of Ministers: Declaration of state of emergency and lockdown (French) (104 KB) - 24 March 2020

  pdf COVID-19 Disease Prevention and Response Action Plan (French) (2.03 MB) - March 2020

• Mauritius

  pdf Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection: Communiqué (French) (89 KB) - 1 April 2020

  pdf COVID-19 Assistance Scheme to the Informal Sector (340 KB) - 31 March 2020

  pdf Ministry of Land Transport and Light Rail Communiqué (130 KB) - 31 March 2020

  pdf MRA Amendments to the integrated tariff with respect to the applicable rates of VAT to masks and hand sanitizer (132 KB) - 24 March 2020

  pdf Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection: Communiqué (74 KB) - 20 March 2020

  pdf Mauritius Government Notice No. 57 of 2020: The Quarantine Act (182 KB)  - 19 March 2020

• Morocco

  pdf Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Minister of Industry, Trade and Green and Digital Economy meets with Presidents of Chambers of Commerce (104 KB) - 14 May 2020

  pdf Measures taken by the Kingdom of Morocco to address the health, economic and social repercussions of the spread of Covid-19 (French) (1.06 MB) - 13 April 2020

  pdf MEFRA: Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes Circular: Suspension of import duties on certain food products (French) (1.13 MB) - 27 March 2020

  pdf MEFRA: Customs and Indirect Tax Administration Circular: Investments and special regimes and quantitative export restrictions (French) (157 KB)  - 13 March 2020

  pdf MEFRA: Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes Circular: Investments and special regimes and quantitative export restrictions (French) (560 KB)  - 3 March 2020

  pdf National Monitoring and Response Plan to the Coronavirus infection (French) (1.27 MB) - 27 January 2020

• Mozambique

  pdf Ministry of Health: COVID-19 Preparation and Response Plan (Portuguese) (685 KB) - March 2020

• Namibia

  pdf Road Transportation Board of Namibia: Tariff Increase During COVID-19 Pandemic State of Emergency (Stage 2) (166 KB) - 11 May 2020

  pdf Republic of Namibia: Guidelines for Stage 2 under State of Emergency (245 KB) - 30 April 2020

  pdf Proclamation: State of Emergency COVID-19: Suspension of operation of provisions of certain laws and ancillary matters regulations (228 KB) - 28 April 2020

  pdf Ministry of Finance: Economic Stimulus and Relief Package: Impact of COVID-19 on the Economy and Households (389 KB) - 1 April 2020

• Niger

  pdf Communiqué of the Council of Ministers Meeting (French) (127 KB) - 22 April 2020

  pdf Communiqué of the Council of Ministers Meeting (French) (281 KB) - 27 March 2020

• Nigeria

  pdf Guidelines for Employers and Businesses in Nigeria (389 KB) - NCDC, May 2020

  pdf Presidential Task Force on COVID-19: Guidance on implementation of lockdown policy (230 KB) - April 2020

  pdf Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill (1.65 MB) - 24 March 2020

• Rwanda

  pdf Public Announcement relating to markets, distribution services and industries (242 KB) - 5 May 2020

  pdf COVID-19 Impact to Trade & Industry: A recap of government mitigation to businesses (197 KB) - 21 April 2020

  pdf Ministerial Guidelines related to continued production of essential products during COVID-19 (167 KB) - 23 March 2020

  pdf Communiqué for Business Community during this period of preventing COVID-19 (77 KB) - 16 March 2020

• Senegal

  pdf Duty-free admission of sanitisation materials and equipment intended for the fight against COVID-19 (French) (1.27 MB) - May 2020

  pdf Notification of Orders relating to tax measures in the context of COVID-19 (French) (1.24 MB) - 23 April 2020

  pdf Ministerial Order No. 008581 on extending the temporary travel ban (387 KB) - 4 April 2020

  pdf Decree No. 2020-925 extending the state of emergency throughout the national territory (French) (693 KB) - 3 April 2020

  pdf Ministerial Order No. 008231: Restriction measures in the transport sector (French) (792 KB) - 25 March 2020

• Seychelles

  pdf Government of Seychelles: Budget Amendment Speech (2.62 MB)  - 7 April 2020

  pdf Notice to all Businesses: Seychelles Revenue Commission Measures for COVID-19 (645 KB) - April 2020

• Togo

  pdf Address by the President of the Republic of Togo on COVID-19 (French) (62 KB) - 1 April 2020

• Tunisia

  pdf COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan (French) (2.67 MB) - April 2020

  [/tiem]

  [item title="Uganda"]

  pdf Address by President Yoweri Museveni: Latest Updates on matters regarding COVID-19 (724 KB) - 4 May 2020

  pdf National Secretariat for the National Task Force on COVID-19: Resolutions from the Trade and Transport National Task Force Sub-Committee Meeting (219 KB) - 24 April 2020

• Zambia

  pdf Statement by the Hon. Minister of Finance on impact of COVID-19 on the Zambian economy (155 KB) - March 2020

• Zimbabwe

  pdf Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020: Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) Order, 2020 (301 KB)  - consolidated as at 3 July 2020
  

  pdf Statutory Instrument 77 of 2020: Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) Regulations, 2020 (125 KB)  - consolidated as at 12 June 2020

  • Further amended by SI 153/2020; SI 160/2020

  pdf Statutory Instrument 96 of 2020: Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Deferral of Rent and Mortgage Payments During National Lockdown) Regulations, 2020 (92 KB)  - consolidated as at 12 June 2020
  

  pdf Statutory Instrument 92 of 2020: Public Health (Standards for Personal Protective Apparel, Materials and Equipment) Regulations, 2020 (459 KB) - 19 April 2020

  pdf Statutory Instrument 90 of 2020: Control of Goods (Open General Import and Export Licence) (Amendment) Notice, 2020 (No. 7) (83 KB) - 17 April 2020

  pdf Statutory Instrument 88 of 2020: Customs and Excise (General) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 (No. 101) (676 KB) - 14 April 2020

  pdf Minister of Finance and Economic Development: Press Statement on Economic Mitigatory Measures to Contain the Impact of COVID-19 (1.03 MB) - 30 March 2020

For trade-related news, analyses and resources, please visit our COVID-19 Resources Page.