Country focus 

Namibia edges closer to South Africa with customs connectivity (The South African)

Namibia introduced customs connectivity with South Africa in February. The move is being hailed as good news for the entire region. The first phase of a project that will see Namibia achieving connectivity with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) in South Africa is now underway.

Zim's Processed Food Sector Records 18 % Export Growth (NewZimbabwe)

Zimbabwe’s processed food sector has recorded 17.9 % export growth amid calls by the country’s export development agency, ZimTrade for local players to take advantage of abundant opportunities in the segment.

Tanzania: Govt Assures Investors of Reliable Power Supply (All Africa)

The government has assured investors who wish to put up various projects in the country to come in bigger numbers since there is enough electricity to help them run their businesses. The assurance was given here by the Minister for Energy, Dr Medard Kalemani while opening a two-day seminar for senior editors from different media organisations, which was organised by Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO). The seminar was also attended by senior TANESCO managers.

Shipping body reacts to clearing agents’ claims over business losses (The Citizen)

While manufacturers and clearing agents say they were losing business to a state-owned firm, the latter distances itself from their nightmares and calls those adversely affected to follow the laid down complaints’ procedures. Speaking during a meeting between the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) and the deputy Minister for Industry and Trade, Mr Exaud Kigahe yesterday, some members said they have lost out since the coming of the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (Tasac).

Kenya begins domestication of AfCFTA (Citizen TV)

Kenya stands to benefit immensely from the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The Industrialisation Ministry has moved in to assure small enterprises of markets for their goods in the continental pact.

Kenya: Trade Ministry Lists Products That Won't Be Imported Duty-Free From UK (All Africa)

Trade Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina says the ministry has generated a list of sensitive products that will not be imported into Kenya duty-free and on which quotas will be placed, as she added that the EPA contains specific provisions for protecting the Kenya and East African Community (EAC) market from unfair competition from UK producers.

Biden team resumes Kenya, US trade talks (Business Daily)

Kenya and the United States (US) will resume talks on a bilateral trade agreement after four-month pause in the wake of American presidential elections last November.Mr Johnson Weru, the Principal Secretary for Trade and Enterprise Development, said the imminent confirmation of President Joseph Biden’s Trade Representative Nominee will unlock talks.

Ghanaian businesses strategise on successful implementation of AfCFTA (GhanaWeb)

The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, has held a semi-virtual seminar in Accra on the African Continental Free Trade Area for the trading community of Ghana. The multidisciplinary seminar brought together experts from the legal practice, financial sector, customs, policymakers as well as representatives of the private sector to discuss how businesses can strategize to fully benefit from the Continental Free Trade Agreement.

Nigeria: States Should Lead in Economic Recovery and Sustainable Growth (All Africa)

One of the most significant consequences of the global public health crisis, the novel coronavirus, was the adverse effect that it had on economies around the world. As the world faced the greatest public health challenge in most of our lifetimes, we also grappled with the economic effects of lockdowns: limited travel and economic activity, and especially, for oil-producing countries like Nigeria, the rapid decline in crude oil prices.

 

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News from Africa and Africa’s international trade relations 

World Bank launches a drought resilience initiative in support of SADC countries

The World Bank, with support from the Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA) together launched the Southern African Drought Resilience Initiative (SADRI) last week. SADRI is an initiative that aims to provide tools that countries could use to better implement and coordinate drought resilience strategies within and across borders and sectors. The initiative aims to foster integrated drought risk management across the energy-water-food environment and help lay foundations for greater resilience in southern African countries to the multi-sectoral influence of drought.

Gender-specific data needed to closing gender gap in energy access: AfDB (Devdiscourse)

Gender-specific data, especially detailed information on how women and men use financial resources, is needed to improve interventions geared to closing the gender gap in energy access, the African Development Bank said during a recent webinar on strengthening gender mainstreaming in Kenya's energy sector.

Trade within East Africa drops by 30pc (The Standard)

Export of goods among East African countries has dropped by more than 30 per cent in the last 10 years as individual countries embark on sustaining their needs. The most affected are consumer products and farm equipment, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industrialisation. This emerged during a validation workshop for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Naivasha.

Bloc gives Kenya nod to enter into EU trade pact (Business Daily)

Kenya has the green light to pursue the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe after the regional business bloc recalled its previous position that restricted East African Community member states from endorsing the deal. Nairobi and Kigali were the only two countries in the region to sign an EPA deal with Europe in 2016 after Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi refused to endorse it, forcing Kenya to have a temporary arrangement with EU to allow its goods to access the expansive market duty-free.

 

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Global economy

DG Okonjo-Iweala: WTO can deliver results if members “accept we can do things differently” (World Trade Organisation)

Addressing the WTO General Council immediately after taking office on 1 March, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on members to “do things differently” to achieve reforms necessary to keep the WTO relevant, starting with swift action to curb harmful fisheries subsidies, and to help scale up COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution. The new head of the WTO noted that high expectations for her tenure can only be met if members are willing to compromise and reach agreements.

Technology and Innovation Report 2021 (UNCTAD)

Recent developments in frontier technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics and biotechnology, have shown tremendous potential for sustainable development. Yet, they also risk increasing inequalities by exacerbating and creating new digital divides between the technology haves and have-nots. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed this dichotomy. Technology has been a critical tool for addressing the spread of the disease, but not everyone has equal access to the benefits.