TradeMark Africa’s Post

#Berbera Port as a Strategic Alternative for Ethiopia Ethiopian exporters face significant challenges with the Djibouti port, including severe loading delays, unexplained fees, and high demurrage costs. These issues, stemming from bureaucratic inefficiencies and poor coordination among stakeholders like the Ethio-Djibouti Rail and international shipping companies, create a costly and frustrating export process. The port of Berbera in Somaliland presents a compelling alternative. It offers potential relief from the congested conditions in Djibouti and provides strategic advantages that could benefit Ethiopia’s trade. Utilizing Berbera could reduce the queuing and the expensive charges associated with delayed goods. Berbera port, enhanced by substantial investments and modernization, has the capacity to handle a considerable volume of goods efficiently. Its recent upgrades, including the expansion of its container terminal, make it a viable gateway for international trade. The geographical proximity of Berbera to Ethiopia and its access via the newly constructed road connecting to the Ethiopian border at Wajaale make it a logistically attractive route that is shorter and potentially less congested than Djibouti. Moreover, Berbera operates under a management style that promises more transparency and less bureaucratic entanglement, ensuring cargo handling aligns with international standards, unlike the issues in Djibouti where exporters face arbitrary charges and inconsistent procedures. For Ethiopian exporters, turning to Berbera means avoiding current hassles in Djibouti and represents an opportunity to diversify trade routes, reduce dependency on a single port, and enhance stability in logistics operations. This move could also foster stronger economic and diplomatic ties between Ethiopia and Somaliland. Considering the persistent challenges at Djibouti, Ethiopian exporters should seriously consider integrating Berbera into their logistics frameworks to ensure more reliable, cost-effective, and efficient trade operations.

Türkiye, Pakistan call for review of anti-dumping duties Identifying key trade barriers, Consul General of Türkiye Cemal Sangu and Chairman of the Businessmen Group Zubair Motiwala specifically highlighted the need to review the anti-dumping duties imposed on certain goods from Pakistan. He said that Turkey imposes anti-dumping duty on denim to protect its domestic industry from unfair competition. However, he suggested that a more flexible approach to customs could help ease trade between the two countries. Read the full story at https://lnkd.in/eY-k8Ek2

Did the EPAs set a precedent? The risk of externally induced fragmentation has been a concern for a few years now. Since then, the number of FTAs signed or envisaged with third partners has increased. More concerning is that many of these agreements involve #AfCFTA State Parties, which also belong to customs unions, where the other unions are excluded from these third-party FTAs. Aside from the EPAs and DCFTAs with the EU and the UK - long-standing contentious issues in the African trade policy community - the past few years have seen negotiations or expressions of interest in negotiating trade agreements with various countries. A few examples, ➡️ The CEPAs between the UAE and Kenya in EAC, Congo in CEMAC and Nigeria in ECOWAS 🇦🇪🇰🇪 https://lnkd.in/eaH-rBxP 🇦🇪🇳🇬 https://lnkd.in/ek__c2cK 🇦🇪🇨🇬 https://lnkd.in/etHZAw9F ➡️ The plausible FTA between South Africa in SACU and the Philippines 🇵🇭🇿🇦 https://lnkd.in/eP5mhnj4 ➡️ The envisaged FTAs between Indonesia and Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa in SACU 🇮🇩🇰🇪 🇮🇩🇳🇬 🇮🇩🇿🇦 https://lnkd.in/eKEQKxng For other countries outside customs unions, one can also think about: 🔹The recent Mauritius with China 🇨🇳🇲🇺 and India 🇮🇳🇲🇺 https://lnkd.in/eQpqKN9v 🔹The proposed FTA between Russia and Algeria 🇷🇺🇩🇿, or https://lnkd.in/em9J28A6 🔹 The eventual agreement between Turkey and Zambia 🇹🇷🇿🇲https://lnkd.in/eM2_Bg2e At the AU Summit level, these countries repeatedly committed to prioritising the AfCFTA over agreements with third countries. However, there is a disconnect between these commitments and actual practices. What does it say about continental construction, and what can we learn from this?

Maldives-China FTA: Unlocking trade potential comes with challenges. From tuna exports to rules of origin compliance, here’s how Maldivian businesses can thrive under the agreement. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gha2J-EF

Ethiopia’s Dire Dawa free trade zone now fully operational

Romania-Turkey Trade Ties on a High Note: Aiming for $15 Billion Romania’s Economy Minister Stefan Radu Oprea and Turkish Trade Minister Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat co-led the second JETCO session, celebrating robust growth in Romania-Turkey trade, which has surged past the initial $10 billion target to $11.5 billion. Now, with President Erdogan’s support, they aim for $15 billion. Oprea highlighted Turkey’s extensive presence in Romania, with 19,000 companies and investments in sectors like infrastructure and defense. Bolat praised Romania’s EU support for Turkey’s customs modernization and announced a new Black Sea ferry route to enhance connectivity. Both nations pledged annual JETCO meetings, with the next scheduled for 2025. (Economica)

As part of the National Single Window, 7 out of 19 organizations will go digital by January 31, 2025. We expect that online services will be seamless and can be performed by the users, and unlike now, where parts of it have to be completed only after visiting the respective office and offering some speed money! https://lnkd.in/gJc_MUUQ

🌍 Togo’s Alliance with Sahel States: Strategic Ripple Effect on Ghana’s Maritime Future 🚢 In this compelling analysis, Dr. David King Boison, Kwabena Ofosu-Appiah, and Albert Derrick Fiatui explore the implications of Togo’s alliance with Sahel States on Ghana’s maritime sector. The article examines how Togo’s strategic positioning and partnerships are reshaping regional trade dynamics, presenting both challenges and opportunities for Ghana's ports and maritime industry. It calls for proactive policies and collaboration to ensure Ghana remains competitive in this evolving landscape. 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dfudKCDE

Digital Customs-The Key to Inclusive Trade and Economic Growth in Africa At Harboursim LP, we recognize that digitalizing customs processes is pivotal to driving inclusive trade across Africa. With innovations in global trade practices, Africa has a unique opportunity to improve efficiency, boost transparency, and empower Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to access international markets more effectively. In our latest article, we explore -The role of digital customs in fostering smoother trade. The impact on African economies and business sectors. Why embracing digital transformation in trade practices is vital for Africa's future growth. Want to learn more about how Africa can harness digital customs for sustainable economic development? Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dwh3xfet #digitalcustoms #africantrade #inclusivegrowth #economicdevelopment #digitalafrica #tradefacilitation #msmes #customsmodernization #afcfta #internationaltrade #supplychaininnovation #africaneconomy #businessdevelopment #tradedevelopment #harboursimlp

Recently both UAE and New Zealand have concluded a comprehensive economic partnership agreement which aims to remove almost more than 90 percent of the tariff and quota barriers which will facilitate and enhance mutual cooperation between both the countries. Many New Zealand based financial institutions will get an opportunity to collaborate with the UAE based entities and on the contrary the dairy products of New Zealand will also get a massive boost in its exports to the UAE. UAE which is affluent in gold items and is perhaps the global logistics hub of the world will also get an opportunity to hike it's exports and also will aim to invest more in the maritime trade sector of New Zealand. Mia Mikic , Christina Stringer , Brent Burmester , Dhiraj Nim , Prof. (Dr.) Alka Maurya , Sandip Solanki, PhD , Dr. Suchita Jha , SABYASACHI HAJARA , Sanjib Gupta Roy , Punit Oza, FICS, AFNI, LLB, M.Sc. , Santosh Mathew , Deepak Mukhi , Rajiv Sathe , Graham Rouse , Irfan Jaffer , Neha Marwaha , Neera Arora , New Zealand Trade and Enterprise , New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade .